Martha Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alderwood Manor, Washington 98036
Friday, September 29, 1989 17:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A SHORT FIELD APCH ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT & HIT AN AUTO THAT WAS PROCEEDING ALONG A PUBLIC ROAD NEAR THE APCH END OF THE RWY. THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) STATED THAT THEY HAD ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT EARLIER IN THE APCH & HAD MADE A NORMAL RECOVERY; HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT RECOVER FROM THE 2ND DOWNDRAFT IN TIME TO AVOID HITTING THE AUTO.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE STUDENT PILOT, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI), WHICH RESULTED IN A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: UNFAVORABLE (VARIABLE) WIND, DOWNDRAFT, AND THE VEHICLE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1740
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ALDERWOOD MANOR
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98036
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MARTHA LAKE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S13
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 500
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 Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1996
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 29 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41192
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24995
NTSB Number SEA89LA181
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15280502
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675
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 Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD & KANDACE HARVEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9900 AIRPORT WAY
Operator City SNOHOMISH
Operator State WA
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PAE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PAE
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 1689
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --