Grants Pass Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
Saturday, May 12, 2001 13:01 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The newly certificated private pilot, who had received his private pilot certificate 8 days before the accident, was attempting a landing in gusty crosswind conditions. During the landing flare, a gust blew the airplane to the left of the runway and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. The pilot indicated that no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane was involved. According to the FAA, the pilot had not demonstrated crosswind landings on his recent FAA private pilot practical test, due to lack of crosswind conditions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure or inability to maintain proper runway alignment during landing. Factors included gusty crosswind conditions and the pilot's lack of experience in crosswind landings.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1301
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Grants Pass
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97526
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Grants Pass
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3S8
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 1126
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 349
Weather Observation Facility ID SXT
Elevation of weather observation facility 3829
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.9
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11539
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date May 12 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1340
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2002 1:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland (Hillsboro), OR

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62961
NTSB Number SEA01LA092
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 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17275369
Certified Max Gross Weight 2396
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 Feb 23 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 5877
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Sundal Roscoe J Trustee
Aircraft Owner Street Address 41714 Madrone St
Aircraft Owner City Springfield
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97478
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Friendly Air Service
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 28829 Lockheed Dr.
Operator City Eugene
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 97402
Operator Code DU7A
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3S8
Departure City Grants Pass
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
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? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Jan 19 2002 1:52PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 3999
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --