Colville Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colville, Washington 99114
Thursday, May 15, 2003 11:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot landed on runway 19 with an approximate 90 degree crosswind and a wind velocity in excess of 10 knots. While making the crosswind landing the main wheels were down and as the tail wheel touched the runway, the wind began to lift the left wing and the aircraft begin to drift to the right. After several attempts at corrective action the aircraft departed the pavement at about a 10 to 15 degree angle coming nearly to a stop as the wind caught and raised the tail overturning the aircraft. The nose over resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and the right wing lift strut.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions on landing. A contributing factor was a crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/15/2003
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1155
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Colville
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99114
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 483229N
Event Location Longitude 1175304W
Event Location Airport COLVILLE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 63S
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 1878
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 14372
NTSB Notification Source FAA - ROC
NTSB Notification Date May 15 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Spokane, Washington

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1977B
NTSB Number SEA03LA081
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 Luscombe
Aircraft Model 8A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 6404
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 24 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 1653
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert E. Sterner
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Kettle Falls
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99141
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 None
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 No
Departure Airport Code 09S
Departure City METALINE FALLS
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 63S
Destination City Colville
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 31 2003 7:00PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 2700
Runway Width 45
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --