# NTSB SEA99GA085: Cessna 182R, N9458H, Enterprise, OR, June 13, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report - Date: June 12, 1999, 17:35 local (Jun 13, 1999, 00:35 UTC) - Place: Enterprise, OR - Coordinates: 45.719799, -117.219978 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7198&lon=-117.2200&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report May 16, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46647 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA99GA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46647/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=46647 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99GA085 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering in a canyon, and the mentor's failure to take adequate remedial action. Factors included box canyon terrain and high density altitude conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - terrain condition - blind/box canyon (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - inadequate, pilot passenger (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The flight was part of a U.S. Air Force-sponsored mountain flying training clinic. The planned flight route included a contour search pattern into a series of drainages along the Minam River valley, including the canyon in which the accident occurred. A trainee at the clinic who flew the accident flight route with the accident flight 'mentor' on the accident aircraft's previous flight reported that he had refused to fly into most of the drainages on the route, believing that the aircraft did not have sufficient climb capability or space to turn around in the drainages. This trainee reported that the route segment where the accident occurred was flown at 90 knots with 10 degrees of flaps. When the accident flight failed to return to base at the scheduled time and contact could not be established with the aircraft, a search was begun. The aircraft wreckage was located approximately two days later, with both occupants found fatally injured at the accident site. A chart of the planned flight route showed that at the approximate location of the crash site, a 135-degree turn was to be made to climb out, exit the training route and return to base. The accident site, located at the 5,400-foot level on sloping terrain, was approximately 1/2 mile beyond the depicted turn point (i.e., further into the canyon than planned.) Investigators found damage and impact signatures at the accident site consistent with an uncontrolled, relatively low-speed impact with the terrain, and the aircraft's flaps at 10 to 15 degrees, but no evidence of pre-impact mechanical problems with the aircraft. Based on a METAR observation taken about the estimated time the crash occurred, density altitude at La Grande, Oregon (approximately 19 nautical miles from, and 2,700 feet below the accident site) was computed to be approximately 5,000 feet. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 12, 1999, approximately 1635 Pacific daylight time, N9458H, a Cessna 182R airplane registered to Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Inc. of Montgomery, Alabama, and operated by the Oregon Wing of the CAP as a public-use mountain search-and-rescue (SAR) training flight, departed Baker City, Oregon, on a scheduled 1.5-hour mission. The aircraft failed to return to Baker City at the scheduled time, and a search for the aircraft was initiated. The aircraft wreckage was located on June 14, 1999, in the Chaparral Creek canyon in the Eagle Cap Wilderness of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, approximately 12 nautical miles west-southwest of Enterprise, Oregon. The aircraft was found to be destroyed by impact forces and fire, and both aircraft occupants, consisting of a commercial pilot-in-command and an additional commercial pilot acting in the capacity of a mountain flying "mentor", were found fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at Baker City and La Grande, Oregon, during the scheduled time frame of the accident flight, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) activation. The accident flight took place as part of a mountain flying training clinic being conducted by the CAP's Oregon Wing. The training clinic was assigned a U.S. Air Force training mission number, TOR0040-99. The accident flight was the pilot-in-command's second flight of the day (the pilot-in-command was a mountain flying trainee at the clinic), and the mentor's third flight of the day. The assigned route of flight, designated the "Red Route", included a contour search pattern into a series of canyons along the east bank of the Minam River (including the Chaparral Creek canyon), which proceeded in a generally south-to-north direction down the Minam River toward the accident area. A copy of a CAP chart depicting the Red Route indicated that in the vicinity of the accident site, a left turn of approximately 135 degrees was to be made to exit the route and return to Baker City. The accident site was approximately 1/2 mile north of the planned turn location (i.e., further into the canyon than the depicted ground track.) According to route planning information furnished by the CAP, the Red Route was identified as the third hardest of five routes planned for use during the training clinic. The route description included the following: "Val semi U shape, room to turn at <1000' Val deep but wide, no need for 360 turns...." The route planning information indicated that elapsed flight time at the route exit point could be from 32 minutes to 1 hour after takeoff from Baker City. According to the Alert Notice (ALNOT) issued for the accident flight, the estimated time en route for the flight was 1 hour and 30 minutes, with an estimated time of arrival back at Baker of 1805. The ALNOT was issued June 12, 1999, at 2017. The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at 45 degrees 21.3 minutes North and 117 degrees 33.6 minutes West. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot-in-command, the trainee on the accident flight, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. He also held advanced and instrument ground instructor ratings. He held a second-class medical certificate issued October 27, 1998, with a restriction requiring that the pilot must have available glasses for near vision. CAP reported that the pilot had 1,350 hours total time including 1,347.5 hours in single-engine airplanes and 1,200 hours as pilot-in-command. According to documentation furnished by CAP, the pilot held a CAP aeronautical rating of Senior Pilot, and was a qualified mission pilot. CAP records indicated that the pilot completed an FAA flight review on November 10, 1998. CAP records also showed that he satisfactorily completed a CAP recurrent pilot flight evaluation in a Cessna 182R aircraft on April 13, 1999, and a CAP mission pilot checkout on September 11, 1998, in what was described on the checkout record as a "well planned and flown check flight." The September 11, 1998, mission pilot checkout form indicated that the checkout included evaluation of mountainous terrain procedures including establishing search altitude, contour search procedures, and canyon search procedures. CAP also reported that the pilot was a participant in the FAA Wings Program and was at level 4 or 5 as of March 18, 1998. The mentor held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. CAP reported that he had 6,300 hours total time including 3,600 hours in single-engine airplanes. CAP records indicated that the mentor held a CAP aeronautical rating of Command Pilot, and that he had qualified as a mission pilot and mission check pilot. The mentor had most recently satisfactorily completed a CAP annual pilot standardization flight evaluation and mission pilot check pilot evaluation in a Cessna 182 aircraft on April 17, 1999, according to records furnished by CAP. Additionally, according to CAP records, he completed an FAA flight review on September 1, 1998. His most recent mission pilot checkout, according to CAP records, was on July 12, 1997. The record of this checkout indicated that mountainous terrain procedures were evaluated including establishing search altitude, contour search procedures, and canyon search procedures. According to a letter from the FAA Aeromedical Certification Division to the mentor dated May 25, 1999, furnished to the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) by CAP, the mentor had a history of coronary artery disease that required bypass surgery in December 1998. The FAA letter was a response to an application by the mentor for unlimited second-class medical certification on April 13, 1999, and outlined testing and documentation requirements for the FAA's consideration for various classes of special-issuance medical certification. A check of the FAA airman registry on June 18, 1999, gave the status of the mentor's medical certificate application as "pending." AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The aircraft, a 1981 Cessna 182R, had 2,063.5 hours airframe total time, according to CAP's report to the NTSB. CAP reported that the aircraft had undergone an annual inspection on April 12, 1999, approximately 60 flight hours prior to the accident, and a 50-hour inspection on June 6, 1999, approximately 10 flight hours before the accident. According to CAP, the aircraft's Continental O-470-U engine had 1,035.3 hours since major overhaul. The aircraft's estimated gross weight and center of gravity (CG) at the time of the accident was computed to be approximately 2,458 pounds, with an estimated center of gravity of 37.8 inches aft of datum. The gross weight and CG estimate was computed based on the following factors: 1) aircraft basic empty weight at delivery of 1,821.9 pounds and moment of 67,112 inch-pounds (per Cessna delivery documents); 2) pilot and mentor total weight of 396 pounds in pilot seats (weights from FAA airman registry); 3) takeoff fuel of 50 gallons (per statement of another training clinic crewmember who had knowledge of aircraft's fuel state at takeoff on accident flight; see ADDITIONAL INFORMATION section below); 4) estimated fuel burn of 10 gallons from takeoff to accident (1 hour estimated flight time at 10 gallons per hour); and 5) fuel weight 6 pounds per gallon. The aircraft's maximum takeoff gross weight is 3,100 pounds. At a gross weight of 2,458 pounds, the aircraft's forward CG limit is approximately 35.0 inches, and its aft CG limit is approximately 46.0 inches. According to the 1981 Cessna 182R Information Manual, the aircraft's power-off stall speed at gross weight of 3,100 pounds, flaps 10 degrees, and 0 degrees bank angle is 46 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). According to the manual, this equat ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9458H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9458H-2000-06-01), registration cancelled 2000-06-01, S/N 18267953 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182R - Registry model: [Cessna 182R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182r) (registry code 2072731) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18267953 - Airframe hours: 2064 - Engines: Continental O-470-U 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Public aircraft, Public use - Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 12, 1999, 60 hours before - Departed: BKE, BAKER CITY, OR - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,350 total, 1,200 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Day - Wind: 130° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: LGD, 19 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990612046919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990612046919A), Jun 12, 1999: Cessna 182R, Enterprise, OR, No damage, 2 fatal. (-23)On June 12, 1999, approximately 1635 PDT, N9458H, a Cessna 182 airplane registered to civil air patrol (cap), inc. departed the baker city, OR )bke) on a… ## Docket (37 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 1, 2001, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=46647. 7.1 MB in all. - Supplement A - Wreckage Documentation (item 1, .PDF, 239 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137736&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20A%20-%20Wreckage%20Documentation-Master.PDF - Supplement B - Cockpit Documentation (item 2, .PDF, 394 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137737&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20B%20-%20Cockpit%20Documentation-Master.PDF - Supplement E - Second Pilot Information (item 3, .PDF, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460619&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20E%20-%20Second%20Pilot%20Information-Redacted.PDF - Supplement I - Crash Kinematics (item 4, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137739&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20I%20-%20Crash%20Kinematics-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 5, .PDF, 431 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460620&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Other Training Clinic Participants Who Flew With Accident Crewmembers on Previous Flights on Day of Accident (item 6, .PDF, 345 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460621&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Other%20Training%20Clinic%20Participants%20Who%20Flew%20With%20Accident%20Crewmembers%20on%20Previous%20Flights%20on%20Day%20of%20Accident-Redacted.PDF - Cap Chart of Planned Flight Route (item 7, .PDF, 281 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137742&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cap%20Chart%20of%20Planned%20Flight%20Route-Master.PDF - Map of Accident Area (item 8, .PDF, 207 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137743&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map%20of%20Accident%20Area-Master.PDF - LaGrande, OR METAR Sequence (item 9, .PDF, 40 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137744&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=LaGrande,%20OR%20METAR%20Sequence-Master.PDF - Baker City, OR METAR Sequence (item 10, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137745&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Baker%20City,%20OR%20METAR%20Sequence-Master.PDF - Cap Mishap Report Form (item 11, .PDF, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460623&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cap%20Mishap%20Report%20Form-Redacted.PDF - Report from Cessna (item 12, .PDF, 495 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460622&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20from%20Cessna-Redacted.PDF - CAP Operations Order (OPORD) for Training Clinic (item 13, .PDF, 155 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460626&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CAP%20Operations%20Order%20(OPORD)%20for%20Training%20Clinic-Redacted.PDF - Training Clinic Route Descriptions (item 14, .PDF, 397 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137749&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Training%20Clinic%20Route%20Descriptions-Master.PDF - Alnot (item 15, .PDF, 30 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460624&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=ALNOT-Redacted.PDF - CAP Message Opending SAR Mission 99M-1202A (item 16, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460625&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CAP%20Message%20Opending%20SAR%20Mission%2099M-1202A-Redacted.PDF - Wallowa County Sheriff Press Release Regarding SAR Mission, 6/14/99, 1730 PDT (item 17, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137752&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Wallowa%20County%20Sheriff%20Press%20Release%20Regarding%20SAR%20Mission,%206%2F14%2F99,%201730%20PDT-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 18, .PDF, 538 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460628&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 19, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460627&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 20, .PDF, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460629&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1. Aerial view of Chaparral Creek canyon looking up drainage (approx. NE). Arrow points to approx. location of accident site. (item 21, .PDF, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137756&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20%20Aerial%20view%20of%20Chaparral%20Creek%20canyon%20looking%20up%20drainage%20(approx.%20NE).%20%20Arrow%20points%20to%20approx.%20location%20of%20accident%20site.-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Aerial view of accident area looking approx. NNE. Arrow points to accident site. (item 22, .PDF, 142 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137757&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20%20Aerial%20view%20of%20accident%20area%20looking%20approx.%20%20NNE.%20%20Arrow%20points%20to%20accident%20site.-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Aerial view of accident site looking approx. N. Arrow points to accident site. (item 23, .PDF, 163 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137758&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20%20Aerial%20view%20of%20accident%20site%20looking%20approx.%20N.%20%20Arrow%20points%20to%20accident%20site.-Master.PDF - Photo 4. Close-in aerial view of accident site looking approx. NW. Arrow on left points to broken treetops. Arrow on right points to a part of main aircraft wreckage. (item 24, .PDF, 200 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137759&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20%20Close-in%20aerial%20view%20of%20accident%20site%20looking%20approx.%20NW.%20%20Arrow%20on%20left%20points%20to%20broken%20treetops.%20%20Arrow%20on%20right%20points%20to%20a%20part%20of%20main%20aircraft%20wreckage.-Master.PDF - Photo 5. Main wreckage looking approx. S. (item 25, .PDF, 191 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137760&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205.%20%20Main%20wreckage%20looking%20approx.%20S.-Master.PDF - Photo 6. Main wreckage looking approx. E. (item 26, .PDF, 186 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137761&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206.%20%20Main%20wreckage%20looking%20approx.%20E.-Master.PDF - Photo 7. Main wreckage looking approx. SE. (item 27, .PDF, 178 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137762&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%207.%20%20Main%20wreckage%20looking%20approx.%20SE.-Master.PDF - Photo 8. Remnants of cabin section. (item 28, .PDF, 195 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137763&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%208.%20%20Remnants%20of%20cabin%20section.-Master.PDF - Photo 9. Looking approx. SE from main wreckage. In foreground are aircraft control cables snagged on upright tree limb. Arrows point to freshly broken treetops in background. (item 29, .PDF, 132 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137764&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%209.%20%20Looking%20approx.%20SE%20from%20main%20wreckage.%20%20In%20foreground%20are%20aircraft%20control%20cables%20snagged%20on%20upright%20tree%20limb.%20%20Arrows%20point%20to%20freshly%20broken%20treetops%20in%20background.-Master.PDF - Photo 10. Left outboard wing section (in foreground); empennage (in background). (item 30, .PDF, 204 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137765&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2010.%20%20Left%20outboard%20wing%20section%20(in%20foreground);%20empennage%20(in%20background).%20-Master.PDF - Photo 11. Left outboard wing section. (item 31, .PDF, 164 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137766&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2011.%20%20Left%20outboard%20wing%20section.-Master.PDF - Photo 12. Right aileron section, looking back toward main wreckage (approx. NW). Empennage is in background to left of center of photo. Left outboard wing section is in background near center of photo. (item 32, .PDF, 187 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137767&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2012.%20%20Right%20aileron%20section,%20looking%20back%20toward%20main%20wreckage%20(approx.%20NW).%20%20Empennage%20is%20in%20background%20to%20left%20of%20center%20of%20photo.%20%20Left%20outboard%20wing%20section%20is%20in%20background%20near%20center%20of%20photo.-Master.PDF - Photo 13. Right aileron section. (item 33, .PDF, 171 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137768&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2013.%20%20Right%20aileron%20section.-Master.PDF - Photo 14. Right outboard wing section. (item 34, .PDF, 162 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137769&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2014.%20%20Right%20outboard%20wing%20section.-Master.PDF - Photo 15. Right outboard wing section. (item 35, .PDF, 103 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137770&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2015.%20%20Right%20outboard%20wing%20section.-Master.PDF - Photo 16. Engine and propeller. (item 36, .PDF, 212 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137771&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2016.%20%20Engine%20and%20propeller.-Master.PDF - Photo 17. Fresh saw type cut through tree branch near main wreckage. (item 37, .PDF, 173 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40137772&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2017.%20%20Fresh%20saw%20type%20cut%20through%20tree%20branch%20near%20main%20wreckage.-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.