Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Elko Muni-Jc Harris Fld Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Elko, Nevada 89801
Friday, May 21, 1999 17:09 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot first contacted the air traffic control tower about 10 miles southwest of the airport. He was instructed to enter a left traffic pattern for runway 23, and informed that the winds were from 330 degrees at 10 knots. While abeam the threshold on the downwind leg, he was cleared to land, and informed that the winds were now from 340 degrees at 7 knots and the wind velocity had increased to 18 knots. The pilot then requested to enter a right downwind for runway 30, which was approved, and was told that the winds were now variable from 300 to 030 degrees from 10 to 18 knots. While on final approach for runway 30, he was informed that the winds had shifted to 020 degrees at 15 knots. The final wind check before landing indicated that the winds were from 030 degrees at 16 knots. The aircraft touched down and bounced then veered toward the left edge of the runway. The pilot stated that as he attempted to correct for the left drift, the right wing rose up and the aircraft crossed the runway in a right arc on the left main wheel and ground looped at the right edge of the runway. He further reported that approximately 15 miles southwest of Elko he had noticed lightning coming from a cloud 2 to 3 miles northeast of the airport. He also stated that about the same time, an airplane that had just departed reported that they were experiencing major updrafts and downdrafts east of the airport.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for the variable and gusty winds, and, to maintain directional control of the aircraft while landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/21/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1709 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | ELKO |
| Event State | NEVADA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 89801 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | ELKO MUNI-JC HARRIS FLD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | EKO |
| 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 | 5140 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1650 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EKO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5140 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 16 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1436 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 21 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1731 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2000 11:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N185FM |
| NTSB Number | LAX99LA194 |
| 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 | A185F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | A185F |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18503126 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3350 |
| 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 | Nov 4 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 22 |
| Airframe Hours | 2374 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ELKO DAILY FREE PRESS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3720 IDAHO STREET |
| Aircraft Owner City | ELKO |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 89801 |
| 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 | UKI |
| Departure City | UKIAH |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1427 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | EKO |
| 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 | 30 |
| Runway Length | 2871 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |