Sedona Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sedona, Arizona 86336
Monday, February 16, 1987 18:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT LANDED HARD ON RWY 3 WHILE ON A NIGHT VFR PLEASURE FLIGHT. THE PLT INDICATED THAT IT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND HE ELECTED TO FLY THE NDA-A IAP TO INSURE TERRAIN CLEARANCE WHILE LOOKING FOR THE RWY. WHILE ON FINAL APCH HE ACTIVATED THE MIRL ON THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQ. THE PLT STATED, 'THE LIGHTS APPEARED TO BE DIM AND THE LANDING LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE THE RWY SURFACE.' THE PLT ADJUSTED THE ACFT PITCH ATTITUDE TO A SLIGHT NOSE UP AND ADDED POWER. THE PLT STATE THAT THE LANDING WAS 'SUFFICIENTLY HARD TO DAMAGE THE INTERNAL WING STRUCTURE OF THE ACFT.' THE PLT WAS REQUIRED TO WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES FOR DISTANT VISION AND POSSESS CORRECTIVE LENSES FOR NEAR VISION. THE PLT'S NIGHT VISUAL ACUITY IS DEGRADED BY THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECT OF HIS VISION. THIS ASPECT BEING THE NEED FOR CORRECTIVE LENSES. THE EFFECTS OF ALT, HYPOXIA, WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON NIGHT VISION. DETERIORATION IN NIGHT VISION CAN OCCUR AT CABIN PRESSURE ALTS AS LOW AS 5,000 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/16/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SEDONA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86336
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SEDONA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SEZ
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 4827
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1747 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 7
Weather Observation Facility ID FLG
Elevation of weather observation facility 7011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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) 822
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 3 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1425
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34011
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N161A
NTSB Number LAX87LA133
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 310G
Aircraft Series Identifier 310G
Aircraft Serial Number 3100022
Certified Max Gross Weight 4990
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 22 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 4435
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 918
Aircraft Owner City WEST BEND
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53095
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 918
Operator City WEST BEND
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 53095
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 PHX
Departure City PHOENIX
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1735
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SEZ
Destination City SEDONA
Destination State AZ
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 3
Runway Length 5135
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --