- Date
- December 13, 1992, 17:20 local (Dec 14, 1992, 01:20 UTC)
- Place
- Aberdeen, WA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7285RBeech A36
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921213049819A
- Case key
- 42932
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
The pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude, and an inadequate visual lookout. Factors include weather below approach minimums, fog, drizzle, and a dark night.
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
The aircraft, which was on the final approach segment of a vor/dme approach, was seen just below the clouds, and less than 100 feet above the trees about one to two miles before the impact point. The ceiling around the time of the accident was approximately 270 feet lower than the minimum descent altitude (mda) for the approach. Witnesses reported that it was a dark night, and that drizzle and fog were being blown through the hills in the area of the impact. Witnesses who saw the aircraft just prior to the crash said that the engine sounds appeared normal and steady, and that the aircraft was flying nearly wings level. The pilot had told the air traffic controller that he intended to break out on this approach, and then proceed to a nearby airport which did not have a published instrument procedure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7285R
- Reported as
- Beech A36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-636
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA10, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wilee Corporation
- Registered owner
- Wilee Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 21, 1992
- Departed
- S42 · Silverdale, WA
- Destination
- WO4 · Ocean Shores, WA
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 56
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 22,500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 80° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HQM, 4 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.