Roche Harbor Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Roche Harbor, Washington 98250
Sunday, June 16, 1996 13:05 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During final approach to runway 24 at a private airport, the pilot encountered a downdraft and touched down more than 100 feet short of the threshold. During the aircraft's rollout over soft/uneven terrain preceding the threshold, the nose landing gear collapsed. The aircraft then passed onto the runway surface skidding to a stop. A postcrash fire then consumed the aircraft after all four occupants exited.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to attain a proper touchdown point for landing. Factors relating to the accident were: downdraft conditions and soft/uneven terrain short of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1305
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ROCHE HARBOR
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98250
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROCHE HARBOR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9S1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 100
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1300 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 258
Weather Observation Facility ID YYJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 63
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 947
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1350
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5686B
NTSB Number SEA96LA123
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 33686
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HEALY, JACK, W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8120 129TH PLACE, SE
Aircraft Owner City RENTON
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98056
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WALTHER, GEORGE, R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6947 COAL CREEK PKWY SE, #100
Operator City NEWCASTLE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98059
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AWO
Departure City ARLINGTON
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 9S1
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 4300
Runway Width 35
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --