Watsonville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watsonville, California 95076
Monday, June 24, 1991 17:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE 118-HOUR PILOT RECEIVED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, AND EN ROUTE, HE RECEIVED UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING THE DESTINATION WEATHER. HE WAS AWARE THAT THE SURFACE WIND WAS FROM 260 DEGREES AT ABOUT 15 KNOTS. DURING LANDING, THE PILOT FLARED HIGH AND ENCOUNTERED A GUST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED HARD ON THE RUNWAY TWO TIMES, BENDING THE PROPELLER BLADE TIPS AND THE FIREWALL. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST FLIGHT IN THE AIRPLANE AFTER RECEIVING A CHECKOUT IN THIS MODEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: GUSTY WINDS, THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WATSONVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95076
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WATSONVILLE
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 160
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 618
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44394
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:22AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N759KM
NTSB Number LAX91LA278
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182Q
Aircraft Series Identifier 182Q
Aircraft Serial Number 18266055
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 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
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNITED FLIGHT SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 120 AVIATION WAY
Operator City WATSONVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95076
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 022
Departure City COLUMBIA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1620
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 3999
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --