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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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July 25, 1982 · Piper 24-140 · N55492

Enterprise, OR

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 25, 1982
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Location
Enterprise, OR
Aircraft
Piper 24-140
Tail Number
N55492
Operator
Bruce C Sehofield
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA82FYM22

Witnesses observed an aircraft fly over the city of Enterprise, Oregon on a bright night with clear sky conditions. Reportedly, the aircraft was flying very erratic; and just as it disappeared from the witnesses' sight, an explosion and fireball were observed where it disappeared. According to one witness, the aircraft appeared to maneuver up and then drop down before it crashed. The plane crashed on down sloping terrain in a nose low, right wing down attitude. The plane slid about 100 ft down hill and the wreckage was destroyed by fire. The propeller separated during impact and showed evidence of power; it was badly bent and had large gouge marks on the tips. The flight control cables were complete and unbroken to the tail and were continuous to both wings except where the wings had separated. A toxicological check of the pilot's blood revealed an alcohol level of 0.449%. The elevation of the crash site was about 3900 ft MSL.

Full Narrative

WITNESSES OBSERVED AN AIRCRAFT FLY OVER THE CITY OF ENTERPRISE, OREGON ON A BRIGHT NIGHT WITH CLEAR SKY CONDITIONS. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING VERY ERRATIC; AND JUST AS IT DISAPPEARED FROM THE WITNESSES' SIGHT, AN EXPLOSION ANDFIREBALL WERE OBSERVED WHERE IT DISAPPEARED. ACCORDIMG TO ONE WITNESS, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO MANEUVER UP AND THEN DROP DOWN BEFORE IT CRASHED. THE PLANE CRASHED ON DOWN SLOPING TERRAIN IN A NOSE LOW, RIGHT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PLANE SLID ABOUT 100 FT DOWN HILL AND THE WRECKAGE WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE PROPELLER SEPARATED DURING IMPACT AND SHOWED EVIDENCE OF POWER; IT WAS BADLY BENT AND HAD LARGE GOUGE MARKS ON THE TIPS. THE FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES WERE COMPLETE AND UNBROKEN TO THE TAIL AND WERE CONTINUOUS TO BOTH WINGS EXCEPT WHERE THE WINGS HAD SEPARATED. A TOXICOLOGICAL CHECK OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD REVEALED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.449%. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 3900 FT MSL.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time22:20 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftPiper 24-140
Tail NumberN55492
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorBruce C Sehofield
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320 · Reciprocating · 160
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 53 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
WindCalm
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0

Appendix: Source Data