- Date
- August 17, 2009, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wenatchee, WA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N90ATRockwell 690
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090817012939A
- Case key
- 74549
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 situational awareness, and thus clearance from objects, while operating at low altitude.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was on a local scenic flight with his family. He flew over nearby mountains, and descended to fly over a local ski resort. A family member reported seeing friends in the resort’s parking lot, and the pilot performed a climbing left turn for another pass. He began looking for his friends, and stated that he failed to monitor his altitude. One wing collided with trees and sustained spar and aileron damage. The pilot landed uneventfully at the departure airport.
Factual narrative
The pilot was on a local scenic flight with his family. He flew over nearby mountains, and descended to fly over a local ski resort. A family member reported seeing friends in the resort’s parking lot, and the pilot performed a climbing left turn for another pass. He began looking for his friends, and stated that he failed to monitor his altitude. One wing collided with trees and sustained spar and aileron damage. The pilot landed uneventfully at the departure airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90AT
- Reported as
- Rockwell 690 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11272
- Airframe hours
- 5,691
- Engines
- Garret TPE-331-5, 717 horsepower, turbo propGarret TPE-331-5, 717 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jeff Obering, doing business as Kolob Canyons Air Services, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Jeff Obering
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · May 21, 2009
- Departed
- EAT · Wenatchee, WA
- Destination
- Wenatchee, WA
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
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 20, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,800 total · 800 in this make and model · 3,400 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KEAT
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 17, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 688 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.