Felts Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spokane, Washington 99211
Saturday, July 24, 1999 6:57 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was landing on a 4,500-foot by 100-foot concrete runway. The pilot reported that 'On landing...a gust of wind [picked up] the left wing and skidded the plane sideways....' The airplane departed the right side of the runway about 900 feet down the runway, and its gear collapsed. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved. Winds during the time frame of the accident were reported as generally down the runway at 3 knots. The pilot had received a tailwheel endorsement two days before the accident, and the accident flight was the pilot's third flight in the accident aircraft without a flight instructor on board.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. A related factor was the pilot's lack of experience in tailwheel aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 657
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SPOKANE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99211
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FELTS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SFF
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 1953
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 653 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SFF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1953
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1013
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1055
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:18AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N80622
NTSB Number SEA99LA128
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 Globe
Aircraft Model GC-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier GC-1B
Aircraft Serial Number 1027
Certified Max Gross Weight 1710
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 4 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1568
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES R. SEMENZA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4296 HIGHWAY 395 N
Aircraft Owner City KETTLE FALLS
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99141
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 63S
Departure City COLVILLE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 620
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SFF
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3L
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --