- Date
- March 4, 1989, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeview, OR
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- CFHGHPiper PA-60-601P
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 17, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 40914
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft, which resulted in a spin and an uncontrolled descent. Factors related to the accident were: improper maintenence by the pilot, an autopilot malfunction, the adverse weather conditions, continued flight by the pilot into adverse weather conditions, and his lack of recent instrument experience.
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 en route, the plt enctrd headwinds & trace rime icing. He made a climb from 17,000 ft to flt 190, then to FL 210. After cruising at FL 210 for about 27 min, the acft entered a dscnt (w/o ATC clnc). Radio & radar contact were lost in the vcnty of were the acft crashed. Just before impact, the acft was observed to dscnd out of low clouds in a spin. The plt had been issued a canadian instrument rating on 1/11/88, but it was valid for only 12 mos. A person, who had given the plt proficiency flt training in preparation for an instrument qualification check, reported that he had reservations about the plt's ability to fly in instrument conditions without an autoplt. Avionics personnel at the departure arpt rprtd the plt had enctrd an autoplt malfunction on the previous flt & that they had found an elec short in the autoplt disconnect sw on the coplt ctl yoke. However, they were unable to repair it due to lack of a replacement part. Rprtdly, the plt barrowed a soldering iron to repair it himself.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CFHGH
- Reported as
- Piper PA-60-601P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 61P082981634
- Airframe hours
- 1,297
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-S1A5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Herbert G. Hinkelman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 2, 1988 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- PDX · Portland, OR
- Destination
- RNO · Reno, NV
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificates
- Private, Foreign
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,300 total · 108 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LKV, 7 nm away