Amateur-built SHA Glasair TD accident near Vansycle, Oregon, December 15, 2003
On December 15, 2003 at about 10:16 pm local time, a amateur-built SHA Glasair TD, registered N434SW, was destroyed in an accident near Vansycle, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance with the anemometer pole/wires during low altitude flight. Contributing factors were the pole and the pilot's low altitude flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2003 · about 10:16 pm local time
- Place
- Vansycle, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SHA Glasair TD
- Registration
- N434SW · no longer on the register · serial 434
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger departed Yakima destined for Walla Walla, Washington, and en route flew through an area of wind turbines and associated anemometer poles measuring 50 meters in height. An ear witness reported hearing an explosive sound and noted smoke in the direction of the sound. Upon investigating the sound, the witness discovered the aircraft ground impact site about 1000 feet east-northeast of a broken anemometer pole. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the accident site and the pilot had logged more than 11,200 hours of flight experience.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,212 hours in all
- Last flight review: January 5, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,135 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 11, 2003; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: YKM Yakima WA at 8:45 pm
- Destination: ALW Walla Walla WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PDT, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.