Pacific City State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pacific City, Oregon 97135
Tuesady, July 14, 1998 19:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while landing to the northwest on an 1,875-foot-long runway, the wind shifted from a quartering headwind to a tailwind at touchdown. The pilot stated he attempted heavy braking, but that the brakes faded to 'nothing.' He said that he had inadequate runway remaining to stop or to go around with obstacle clearance, so he intentionally swerved the airplane. The airplane then flipped over. An FAA inspector who responded to the scene and examined the aircraft's brakes reported that he found the brakes to be functional. Weather stations in the area reported southerly to southwesterly winds at 5 to 18 knots at the reported time of the accident. The single northeast/southwest runway at the unattended airport can be landed on in either direction, with the runway threshold displaced 300 feet for landings to the southeast.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper compensation for wind conditions (landing with a tail wind.) Related factors were tail wind conditions, a short runway, and diminished brake system effectiveness.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/14/1998
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PACIFIC CITY
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97135
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PACIFIC CITY STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PFC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1856 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 344
Weather Observation Facility ID AST
Elevation of weather observation facility 8
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 58
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2100
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 1259
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 14 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9199D
NTSB Number SEA98LA137
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-22-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-160
Aircraft Serial Number 22-6258
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 May 26 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE M.S. PUTNAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8020 S.W. BROOKRIDGE ST. #P
Aircraft Owner City PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97225
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 No
Departure Airport Code 7S3
Departure City HILLSBORO
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PFC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 32
Runway Length 1875
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --