# NTSB WPR12CA376: Champion 7FC, N4849E, Terrebonne, OR, August 30, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 29, 2012, 21:00 local (Aug 30, 2012, 04:00 UTC) - Place: Terrebonne, OR - Coordinates: 44.331111, -121.369445 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.3311&lon=-121.3694&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report December 5, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 84856 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12CA376 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84856/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84856 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA376 ## Probable cause The pilot's physical impairment, which adversely affected his ability to properly operate the airplane. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Impairment/incapacitation: alcohol](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015): Personnel issues › Physical · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7FC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015/cases.md?model=21101NX), [All aircraft, 87 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Champion 7FC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=21101NX), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Champion 7FC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=21101NX), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot was attempting to land his airplane at night on the unlighted, unpaved private airstrip where he based the airplane. The airstrip was situated in a rural area, about 5 miles from the nearest town atop a ridge that rose about 300 feet above the surrounding terrain. According to the pilot, during his final approach to the airstrip, he encountered a downdraft, and the airplane impacted the southwest side of the ridge. According to information provided by first responders, the airplane struck a tree and then terrain, and came to rest after a very short distance. The right wing was crushed and displaced aft, and the fuselage also sustained substantial damage. The pilot extracted himself from the wreckage and used his cellular telephone to summon assistance. Hospital medical personnel interviews indicated that the pilot appeared intoxicated and admitted to using methadone and morphine on a daily basis, and blood tests of the pilot conducted at least 3 hours after the accident revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.246 grams/deciliter. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations prohibit operation of an airplane by persons with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.040 grams/deciliter or greater. The pilot did not hold a valid FAA medical certificate. He also stated that the airplane did not have any mechanical deficiencies or failures before the impact. ## Factual narrative The private pilot was attempting to land his airplane at night on the unlighted, unpaved private airstrip where he based the airplane. The airstrip was situated in a rural area, about 5 miles from the nearest town. The airstrip was oriented approximately east-west, atop a ridge that was oriented northeast-southwest. The ridge rose approximately 300 feet above the surrounding terrain. According to the pilot, during his final approach to the airstrip, he encountered a downdraft, and the airplane impacted the southwest side of the ridge. According to information provided by first responders, the airplane struck a tree and then terrain, and came to rest after a very short distance. The right wing was crushed and displaced aft, and the fuselage also sustained substantial damage. The pilot extracted himself from the wreckage, and utilized his mobile phone to summon assistance, since he was seriously injured. About 2 hours after the accident, he was airlifted to a hospital. Hospital medical personnel interviews and blood tests of the pilot conducted at least 3 hours after the accident revealed that the pilot appeared intoxicated, admitted to using methadone and morphine on a daily basis, and had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.246 grams/deciliter. FAA regulations prohibit operation of an aircraft by persons with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.040 grams/deciliter or greater. The pilot did not hold a valid FAA medical certificate. He also stated that he did not experience any mechanical deficiencies or failures of the airplane prior to the impact. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4849E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4849E-2018-02-08), registration cancelled 2018-02-08, S/N 7FC-300, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CHAMPION 7FC - Registry model: [Champion 7FC](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7fc) (registry code 21101NX) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 300 - Airframe hours: 4626 - Engines: 90 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 29, 2009 - Departed: 61OR, Terrebonne, OR - Destination: 61OR, Terrebonne, OR - Airport: 61OR, The Citadel, runway 25, 1,800 × 100 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2010; seat: front; flight hours: 1,700 total, 800 in this make and model, 1,650 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 340° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 36 °F - Observed at: KRDM, 8 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 20120829019109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120829019109A), Aug 29, 2012: Champion 7FC, Terrebonne, OR, Substantial damage. Airplane crashed into trees approximately on quarter mile from approach end of unimproved dirt airstrip. The airplane was substantially damaged and the… ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 12, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84856. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 619 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378669&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Deschutes County Sheriff Report Excerpts (item 2, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378670&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Deschutes%20County%20Sheriff%20Report%20Excerpts-Redacted.PDF - FAA Alcohol Publication (item 3, .PDF, 171 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378671&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Alcohol%20Publication-Master.PDF - Oregon DMV Alcohol Chart (item 4, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378672&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Oregon%20DMV%20Alcohol%20Chart-Master.PDF - METARs (item 5, .PDF, 126 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378673&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=METARs-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Aft Right View of Wreckage (DCS Photo) (item 6, .PDF, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378674&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Aft%20Right%20View%20of%20Wreckage%20(DCS%20Photo)-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Front View of Wreckage (DCS Photo) (item 7, .PDF, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378675&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20Front%20View%20of%20Wreckage%20(DCS%20Photo)-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Instrument Panel (DCS Photo) (item 8, .PDF, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378676&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20Instrument%20Panel%20(DCS%20Photo)-Master.PDF - Photo 4. Front Right View of Cabin (DCS Photo) (item 9, .PDF, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378677&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20Front%20Right%20View%20of%20Cabin%20(DCS%20Photo)-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.