Watsonville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watsonville, California 95076
Thursday, September 4, 1997 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The aircraft landed short of the runway in winds the pilot described as light and variable. According to the pilot, while on a stabilized final approach, 'indicated airspeed 80,' the 'aircraft settled directly to the ground.' He reported that the aircraft 'went flat down as though slammed in a subsiding air mass in a matter of seconds.' Also, he reported that the application of engine power did not arrest the descent. At the nearest weather reporting point, 19 miles southeast, the surface wind was 12 knots, and there was no convective weather in the area.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudgment of distance and speed on final approach, leading to a landing undershoot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/4/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WATSONVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95076
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WVI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 20
Airport Elevation 160
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID SNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 84
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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) 867
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 4 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N84TX
NTSB Number LAX97LA310
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bingelis
Aircraft Model FALCO F.8L
Aircraft Series Identifier FALCO F.8L
Aircraft Serial Number 506
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ADRIANNE GRAHAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4620 S.W. NASH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City CORVALLIS
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97330
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code WVI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 20
Runway Length 4501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --