On September 29, 1989, a Cessna 177RG (registration N8055G) was involved in an aviation accident near Nyssa, OR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE BEFORE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT, RISING/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND PROBABLE IMPAIRMENT FROM A PRESCRIPTION DRUG. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft departed Nampa Airport at 1630 local time and later crashed on a ridge 1 mile west of an unattended strip near Owyhee Reservoir. The pilot's urine tested positive for benzodiazepines, with therapeutic levels of diazepam and nordiazepam detected.
Accident Details
An aircraft departed Nampa Airport at approximately 1630 local time. Evidence indicated that the pilot landed at an unattended airstrip near Owyhee Reservoir and that the occupants deplaned for a period. The following morning at 0118 hours, an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal was detected in the area. A search was initiated after daybreak, and the aircraft was found where it had impacted terrain approximately 100 feet below the top of a ridge, about 1 mile west of the strip. The elevation of the strip was 2680 feet, while the crash site elevation was approximately 3350 feet. The aircraft sustained extensive damage when it collided with terrain rising at about 20 degrees.
Investigation
The pilot's urine tested positive for benzodiazepines. Subsequent blood tests revealed the presence of 0.09 mg/L diazepam and 0.11 mg/L nordiazepam. The therapeutic ranges for these substances were reported as 0.02 to 2.0 mg/L for diazepam and 0.02 to 1.8 mg/L for nordiazepam.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the 29 Sept 1989 Cessna 177RG accident near Nyssa, OR?
An aircraft departed Nampa Airport at 1630 local time and later crashed on a ridge 1 mile west of an unattended strip near Owyhee Reservoir. The pilot's urine tested positive for benzodiazepines, with therapeutic levels of diazepam and nordiazepam detected.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 29 Sept 1989 involved a Cessna 177RG, registration N8055G, at Nyssa, OR.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE BEFORE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT, RISING/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND PROBABLE IMPAIRMENT FROM A PRESCRIPTION DRUG.
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