Cessna 172N N584WA

Summary

On 9 November 1994 at about 02:13 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N584WA, operated by Kennewick Aircraft, Inc., was involved in an accident near Klamath Falls, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 November 1994 at 02:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Klamath Falls, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

42.3103, -122.0702

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N584WA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Kennewick Aircraft, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hermiston → Klamath Falls

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA95FA018

1 person died.

THE VFR PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN BELOW HIM. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A DOWNDRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED, RECEIVED AN ACCURATE WEATHER BRIEFING FOR A CROSS COUNTRY BUSINESS FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT NIGHT. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WORSENED, AS FORECAST. THE PILOT WAS TOLD OF THE WORSENING CONDITIONS. HE REPORTED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) THAT HE WAS ENTERING OBSCURATION AND EVENTUALLY LOST GROUND CONTACT. THE REPORTED WEATHER CONDITIONS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE INDICATED THAT THE CLOUDS, SNOW, AND GUSTING WINDS EXISTED AT THE ALTITUDE THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING. ATC PROVIDED VECTORS, BUT THE PILOT GRADUALLY DESCENDED AND VEERED TOWARD RISING TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE THEN ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT AND THAT HE COULD NOT CLIMB FASTER THAN THE RISING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A TREE NEAR THE 7,200 FOOT LEVEL OF A MOUNTAIN. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND WAS RESCUED 22 HOURS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. NO PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.