Duluth/Sky Harbor Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Duluth, Minnesota 55803
Sunday, July 5, 1987 9:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

RPRTDLY, THE WINDS WERE PREVAILING FROM THE NORTHEAST & WERE VARIABLE & GUSTY. THE PLT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND ON RWY 14, BUT ABORTED HIS 1ST ATTEMPT. DURING THE 2ND APCH, HE USED A NOTCH OF FLAPS & CORRECTED FOR THE X-WIND BY SLIPPING THE ACFT INTO THE WIND. HE STATED THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE MAIN GEAR ALIGNED WITH THE RWY CENTERLINE. HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE PLT APPLIED POWER TO GO AROUND AGAIN, BUT THE ACFT WAS AIRBORNE ONLY BRIEFLY. IT THEN TOUCHED DOWN IN SANDY TERRAIN & NOSED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/5/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 940
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DULUTH
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55803
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DULUTH/SKY HARBOR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID D36
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 170
Airport Elevation 611
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 125
Weather Observation Facility ID DLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1429
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2476
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36773
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N56808
NTSB Number CHI87LA161
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7425040
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 7 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2684
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LORETTA C. GEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3431 GREYSOLON PL.
Aircraft Owner City DULUTH
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55804
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 D36
Departure City DULUTH
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 14
Runway Length 3051
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --