- Date
- January 8, 1987, 11:36 local (19:36 UTC)
- Place
- Ellensburg, WA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N704HMCessna 150
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 21, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870108008049A
- Case key
- 40515
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
The two commercially certificated instrument rated flight instructors departed Ellensburg at approximately 1120 PST on a local flight. Both pilots had appointments at 1300 hours PST. VFR conditions prevailed in lower terrain near Ellensburg, however, a scattered to overcast cloud layer existed at approximately 5000 feet MSL throughout the area. Additionally, witnesses reported fog & obscuration in higher terrain throughout the area near the site within a few hours subsequent to the accident. Evidence indicated that a course reversal was being executed concurrent with tree impacts at approximately 4425 feet MSL while overflying rising/mountainous terrain. There was no record that either pilot had received any formal mountain flying training.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N704HM
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15078624
- Airframe hours
- 3,720
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A(48), 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ronald V. Mitchell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 27, 1986 · 83 hours before
- Departed
- ELN · Ellensburg, WA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 23
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,206 total · 1,940 as pilot in command · 105 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.