Page Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Page, Arizona 86040
Saturday, July 26, 2003 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane porpoised during landing, and the nose landing gear collapsed. During final approach, the airplane's ground speed increased and a higher than normal sink rate developed. The pilot was unable to slow the descent in time to prevent a hard landing. After a series of bounces, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane skidded down the runway. The fuel lines broke and a fire erupted. The estimated density altitude was 7,700 feet msl.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and his improper recovery from a bounced landing. Inadvertent entry into a porpoise pilot-induced oscillation, and high density altitude were contributing factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/26/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Page
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86040
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365520N
Event Location Longitude 1112654W
Event Location Airport Page Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PGA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
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 --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
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) 14329
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
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 --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N235WC
NTSB Number LAX03CA257
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Lancair
Aircraft Model 235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Denis Cokey and Jim Wapelhorst
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Newbury Park
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91360
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 CMA
Departure City Camarillo
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PGA
Destination City Page
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2003 2:17PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --