Copalis State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Copalis Beach, Washington 98535
Monday, May 15, 1989 11:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT LANDED ON SOFT SAND ON A CLOSED BEACH AIRSTRIP, RESULTING IN AN OVERSTRESS FRACTURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT DURING LANDING ROLL. THE WINGS AND FUSELAGE WERE DAMAGED BY IMPACT WITH THE GROUND DURING AN ABRUPT SWERVE AFTER THE LANDING GEAR STRUT COLLAPSED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION WHICH RESULTED IN THE SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SOFT SAND BAR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/15/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1150
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City COPALIS BEACH
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98535
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COPALIS STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S16
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 1
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID HQM
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1204
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39413
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8978R
NTSB Number SEA89LA089
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 CHAMPION
Aircraft Model 7GCB
Aircraft Series Identifier 7GCB
Aircraft Serial Number 7GCB
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT S STONE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1009 SHAMROCK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City OKLAHOMA CITY
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73131
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT S. STONE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9726 73RD ST. SW
Operator City TACOMA
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98498
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 OLYMPIA
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S16
Destination City COPALIS BEACH
Destination State WA
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 15
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --