Hoover CHALLENGER II STD N4018G

Summary

On 26 March 2005 at about 22:25 local time, a Hoover CHALLENGER II STD registered N4018G, operated by Keith G. Bird, was involved in an accident near La Grande, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 March 2005 at 22:25

Classification

Accident

Location

La Grande, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.2250, -118.0353

Aircraft

Hoover CHALLENGER II STD

Registration

N4018G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Keith G. Bird

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Caldwell → Walla Walla

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA05LA067

2 people died.

The pilot's VFR flight into IMC and his failure to maintain clearance with terrain during cruise flight. Factors were the existing weather conditions that included low ceilings, snow, obscuration, and the mountainous, rising terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The two seat experimental amateur-built airplane was destroyed when it impacted rough, sloping mountainous terrain heading north, coming to rest on a southerly heading just west of an interstate highway. A witness, who was driving north on the interstate, observed the airplane over the freeway, but lost sight of it in the snow and clouds as it proceeded west. A couple of minutes later the witness observed the airplane coming from the west and appeared to be trying to climb as it was being bounced around, then going out of sight due to the poor visibility. The witness subsequently came upon the wreckage a few minutes later, spotting what appeared to be a wing on the hillside just to the west of the freeway. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were found during examination of the wreckage. A National Weather Service area forecast issued earlier in the day revealed that a strong and moist Pacific system was moving into the Pacific Northwest. Wind advisories were also to be issued that afternoon.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.