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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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August 30, 2012 · Champion 7FC · N4849E

Terrebonne, OR

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 30, 2012
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 serious injury)
Location
Terrebonne, OR
Aircraft
Champion 7FC
Tail Number
N4849E
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
WPR12CA376

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.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's physical impairment, which adversely affected his ability to properly operate the airplane.

Full 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.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time21:00 PDT
Nearest AirportThe Citadel (1nm)
Runway25
Runway Length1800 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftChampion 7FC
Tail NumberN4849E
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsReciprocating · 90
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 serious injury)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 54 · Third Class · Serious

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightNight
Wind340° @ 5 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point55 / 36 C
Altimeter0
Observation Time03:56
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data