Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Tacoma Narrows Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gig Harbor, Washington 98335
Friday, April 13, 2001 20:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff he noted a "high pitched hissing tone" in conjunction with the illumination of the airplane's low-voltage light. He reported that the situation lasted for a few seconds before the hissing tone subsided and the low voltage light returned to normal. The pilot stated that he thought there "might" be a problem with the aircraft's engine and elected to return to the airport and land. The pilot turned the airplane 180 degrees and attempted to land on the opposing runway. After completing the turn, the pilot realigned the airplane on the runway centerline. He stated " I thought I did reach over and put the landing gear lever in the down position, but I don't remember for sure." The pilot stated that just before touchdown, he heard what he thought was the sound of the propeller striking the runway. He applied power and initiated a go-around. The pilot stated that he then aborted the go-around and "put the gear down" in an attempt to land the airplane on the remaining runway. The airplane touched down on the runway and the right main landing gear leg collapsed. The airplane made several heading changes before coming to rest in a grassy area northeast of runway. A FAA Inspector from the Flight Standards District Office inspected the airplane after the accident and reported that there was no evidence found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to extend the airplane's landing gear while landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/13/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2000 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Gig Harbor |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98335 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | TACOMA NARROWS |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TIW |
| 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 | 292 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TIW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 292 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 218 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.24 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10471 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-REGIONAL OPERATIONS |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 13 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2000 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 7 2001 7:37AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Seattle, Washington |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9551B |
| NTSB Number | SEA01LA071 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172 RG |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172RG0873 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 13 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 93 |
| Airframe Hours | 6012 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Zephyer Aviation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1620 26th Ave. NW |
| Aircraft Owner City | Gig Harbor |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98335 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TIW |
| Departure City | Tacoma Narrows |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2000 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Tacoma Narrows |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 14 2001 1:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 5002 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |