Bellingham Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bellingham, Washington 98100
Saturday, December 19, 1998 16:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot noted that he was on approach to the runway and about 30' to 50' above ground when he encountered a wind shear downdraft so severe that all loose things in the cockpit flew up to the ceiling. He believed that he must have been crabbing at the time of touchdown, and the side forces at the time of the landing broke the right main landing gear above the wheel/axle casting. The airplane sustained buckling of the right wing and buckling at the rear of the cabin. Control tower personnel who observed the landing characterized it as a very hard landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, however winds were at 30 knots, gusting to 41 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A hard landing due to the pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate. Factors include gusts and turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/19/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BELLINGHAM
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98100
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BELLINGHAM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KBLI
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 166
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID KBL
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
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) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 41
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1286
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 19 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGHFD
NTSB Number SEA99LA023
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-34-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7350210
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign 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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 14 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours 4359
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETER GARRISON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 17597 KENNEDY
Aircraft Owner City CHILLIWACK, BC
Aircraft Owner State OF
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 CYEW
Departure City CHILLIWAK
Departure State BC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KBLI
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 34
Runway Length 6751
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --