Portland-Hillsboro Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hillsboro, Oregon 97124
Wednesday, August 13, 1997 14:27 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the landing roll on runway 30, the pilot lost control of the tailwheel-equipped Cessna 140 and departed the left side of the runway, ground looping. He reported that both flight following and the Hillsboro tower advised him of calm winds prior to landing and that during the landing a 'wind gust blew hard to the left.' Wind reports taken at the Hillsboro airport reported calm winds five minutes after the accident as well as throughout the morning and early afternoon hours with the exception of variable winds of 4 and 5 knots at 1350 and 1250 hours respectively. An FAA inspector assigned at the Hillsboro airport reported the weather conditions as a 'sultry day' with calm winds. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1427
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HILLSBORO
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97124
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORTLAND-HILLSBORO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HIO
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 204
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1432 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HIO
Elevation of weather observation facility 204
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1416
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1451
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N76233
NTSB Number SEA97LA187
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 140
Aircraft Series Identifier 140
Aircraft Serial Number 10636
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 2814
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BAKER, BARBARA, L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 989
Aircraft Owner City OLALLA
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98359
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BAKER, GARY, H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 989
Operator City OLALLA
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98359
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 EUG
Departure City EUGENE
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HIO
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 30
Runway Length 6600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --