Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wallowa, Oregon 97885
Tuesady, April 4, 2000 14:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot indicated he was landing to the west on his private airstrip, an 1,800- by 40-foot, east-west strip with trees and elevated terrain adjacent to both sides. The pilot reported that prior to landing, he noted westerly winds at an estimated 20-25 knots. He stated that during the landing, at approximately 10 feet above ground level (AGL) and 60 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS), 'a wind gust lifted the aircraft and moved it to the north side of the runway.' The pilot stated he banked left in order to avoid striking his hangar (on the northeast side of the airstrip), then initiated a go-around. During the go-around attempt, the aircraft's right wing struck a tree on the south side of the airstrip at approximately 75 feet AGL, and the aircraft crashed. The pilot furnished evidence that he had undergone a checkout by a flight instructor in the accident aircraft about 6 weeks prior to the accident, but did not furnish any evidence of a current flight review signoff.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment upon encountering a wind gust, and his subsequent failure or inability to maintain clearance with a tree during a go-around attempt. Factors included a short and narrow airstrip, gusty wind conditions, and a tree in the vicinity of the airstrip.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/4/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | WALLOWA |
| Event State | OREGON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 97885 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| 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 | 3300 |
| 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) | 12 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 25 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 761 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Pilot's Attorney |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 13 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1610 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 11 2001 4:05AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N78DE |
| NTSB Number | SEA00LA072 |
| 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 | 18503701 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 18 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 15 |
| Airframe Hours | 3195 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DAVID W. HOWELL |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 75106 LOWER DIAMOND LANE |
| Aircraft Owner City | WALLOWA |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97885 |
| 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 | |
| Departure City | MCDERMITT |
| Departure State | NV |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| 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 | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 11 2001 4:05AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 1800 |
| Runway Width | 40 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |