- Date
- May 24, 1987, 12:10 local (19:10 UTC)
- Place
- Ritzville, WA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 3 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 27, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 40518
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
Occupants of both acft were family members traveling in company for holiday. Takeoff was about one min apart with N44726 in trail. Due higher norm crz performance, N44726 overtook N5711A. Plt of N44726 reduced speed and established position about 1/2 mile to right of N5711A at same alt. Plt of N44726 stated he next saw N5711A directly in front as collision occurred. Evidence shows N44726 severed tail cone from N5711A just fwd of empennage. N44726 was landed safely despite substantial damage.
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 · 2
- Registration
- N5711A
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28311
- Airframe hours
- 2,301
- Engine
- Continental O-300-B, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth L. Sager
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 21, 1986 · 56 hours before
- Departed
- 33S · Ritzville, WA
- Destination
- S62 · Athol, ID
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.
- Registration
- N44726
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7505004
- Airframe hours
- 1,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Earl L. Moritz
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 11, 1987 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- 33S · Ritzville, WA
- Destination
- S62 · Athol, ID
- Flight plan
- VFR
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N5711A
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 97 total · 47 in this make and model · 50 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N44726
- Age
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 82 total · 8 in this make and model · 34 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F