- Date
- February 19, 1986, 17:30 local (Feb 20, 1986, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mount St.Helens, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4521HPiper PA-15
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860219004809A
- Case key
- 40357
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
In flight encounter with weather
Weather condition - high wind
Wind information - not understoodCause
Weather condition - gusts
Judgment - poorCause
Aircraft performance,climb capability - exceededCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
The pilot was attempting to fly inside a volcanic crater around the lava dome above 6000 feet m.s.l.. The aircraft has a 75 horsepower engine. High winds entering the crater from the northeast flowing across the lava dome created a downdraft that the aircraft could not outclimb. Both occupants were rescued the following day.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4521H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-15
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15-295
- Airframe hours
- 2
- Engine
- Continental A-75, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Departed
- KLS · Kelso, WA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 75 total · 2 in this make and model · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.