Fortuna Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fortuna, California 95501
Wednesday, November 6, 1991 14:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND PASSENGER WHILE RECEIVING TRAINING FOR A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE CFI REQUESTED THAT THE PILOT EXECUTE A SHORT FIELD LANDING AT AN AIRPORT ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE CFI FAILED TO PROPERLY SUPERVISE THE FLIGHT AND THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE ALTITUDE BY BEGINNING THE FLARE AT ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO SUSTAIN A HARD LANDING DAMAGING THE PROPELLER, NOSE WHEEL AND AIRFRAME FIREWALL. THE OCCUPANTS WERE UNINJURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THAT THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE FLARE ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/6/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City FORTUNA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95501
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FORTUNA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FOT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 390
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1923
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45859
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3474S
NTSB Number LAX92LA048
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 182H
Aircraft Series Identifier 182H
Aircraft Serial Number 18255874
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 22 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 4994
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREENS PHARMACY, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1145
Aircraft Owner City WEAVERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96093
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SYMONS, STEWVEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1611
Operator City WEAVERVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96093
Operator Code X
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code O16
Departure City GARBERVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EKA
Destination City EUREKA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 4025
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --