Harmon/Lance RV-4 accident near Coolin, ID
On August 5, 2005, a Harmon/Lance RV-4 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Coolin, ID. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 5, 2005
- Place
- Coolin, ID
- Aircraft
- Harmon/Lance RV-4 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 48.523°N, 116.817°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050809X01187
NTSB summary
On August 5, 2005, about 1122 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Harmon/Lance RV-4, N683RV, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with trees and the terrain while maneuvering for landing at the Cavanaugh Bay Airport, Coolin, Idaho. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged during the impact and post crash fire. The private pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed from Scappoose, Oregon, about two and a half hours prior to the accident. Witnesses in the area reported seeing the aircraft first fly over the bay, "...very low over the water, at times only 50 to 100 feet above the lake." This witness stated that the plane "buzzed" over the houses on the east side of Coolin Bay. The aircraft made two passes over the houses, then flew north towards Rocky Point and Cavanaugh Bay at a "very low altitude." Another witness reported that when he first saw the aircraft he thought that it had just taken off as the aircraft was "just above the trees when it suddenly veered hard to the right and disappeared into the trees." Smoke was seen almost immediately after he lost sight of the aircraft. The accident site was located among and in an area of dense trees and underbrush at global positioning system (GPS) coordinates 48 degrees 30.767 north latitude, 116 degrees 49.230 west longitude. The site elevation is approximately 2,457 feet. On site documentation of the area by an officer from the Idaho State Police reported that the aircraf
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while maneuvering to base leg for landing. Trees and inadequate in-flight planning were factors.
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Browse: Idaho
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
