Grove Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Camas, Washington 98607
Wednesday, September 22, 1999 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while on a long final approach with sun glare in his eyes, he mistook the runway number for the displaced threshold. On short final, the pilot realized that he was low and slow, and the addition of power near the end of the runway was insufficient to maintain flight. During the go-around maneuver, the tail section of the aircraft contacted the airport boundary fence. The aircraft pitched down and subsequently collided with the ground in a nose-down attitude. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction with the aircraft at the time of the accident. The Airport/Facility Directory indicates that the threshold is displaced 413 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A misjudged approach and inadequate airspeed. Sunglare, a delayed decision to go-around, and not maintaining clearance from a fence were factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CAMAS
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98607
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GROVE FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WA10
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 430
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 154
Weather Observation Facility ID TTD
Elevation of weather observation facility 39
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 1040
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1752
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 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 N704XA
NTSB Number SEA99LA173
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 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 15078945
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
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 AERO MAINTENANCE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 101 E. RESERVE
Aircraft Owner City VANCOUVER
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98661
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code WA10
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code WA10
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 25
Runway Length 2710
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --