- Date
- August 23, 1988, 17:15 local (Aug 24, 1988, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- John Day, OR
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4175XAero Commander 100-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880823035109A
- Case key
- 40732
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.
Analysis
While elk spotting in mountainous terrain, the aircraft collided with trees in a nose low turn similar to the intermediate stages of a stall. A severe post impact fire erupted. The density altitude at the accident site elevation was approximately 10,100 feet. All spark plugs were found to be excessively worn and fired intermittently during testing. Two of the spark plugs were found to be lead fouled. The flaps were found in the full down position and tree limbs, approximately 3 inches in diameter, were found with smooth slashes diagonally through them.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4175X
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 100-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5029
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A2F, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William W. Manley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 8, 1987
- Departed
- U33 · John Day, OR
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 450 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 99 °F
- Observed at
- U33, 16 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.