Rose VP-1 accident near Gardiner, Washington, March 30, 1997
On March 30, 1997 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Rose VP-1, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N89PR, was destroyed in an accident near Gardiner, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain control of the aircraft. Factors contributing to the accident were gusty and high winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1997 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Gardiner, Washington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rose VP-1, amateur-built
- Registration
- N89PR · registry record · serial V2241
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot-in-command took off against the advice of two acquaintances who warned him of the 'strong, gusty winds.' Numerous surface weather observations throughout the northwest Washington area indicated a strong southerly flow with gusty wind conditions, and a rapid pressure rise at a number of reporting stations. Witnesses reported observing the homebuilt single-place Volkswagen-powered wooden aircraft depart from runway 10 and shortly thereafter execute a descending left turn out of view. A witness reported hearing the engine up to the time of the impact. The wooden propeller's two blades were shattered outboard of the hub. The pilot's total flight time as of his last medical conducted December 28, 1995, was reported as 60 hours.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 60 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 685 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2WA1 at 8:39 pm
- Destination: CLM Port Angeles WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 2,335 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from CLM, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA97LA079.