Window Rock Aiport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Window Rock, Arizona 86515
Saturday, January 3, 2004 15:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane landed hard on the left main gear. The pilot was attempting to execute the VOR/DME-A circling approach in instrument meteorological conditions, to include icing and gusty wind conditions. The pilot believes that during the approach, the airframe accumulated airframe ice. Prior to touchdown, in the landing flare, the airplane stalled prematurely, impacting the runway hard.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed in the landing flare to compensate for airframe icing, which resulted in a premature stall and hard landing. The degraded aircraft performance due to airframe ice was a contributing factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/3/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Window Rock
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86515
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 353907N
Event Location Longitude 1090402W
Event Location Airport Window Rock Aiport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RQE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6742
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1510 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID RQE
Elevation of weather observation facility 6742
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.76
Density Altitude (feet) 6850
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17755
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jan 5 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 950
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 8 2005 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SDL-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N911EA
NTSB Number LAX04LA087
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 421C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 421C-0870
Certified Max Gross Weight 7500
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Scenic Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 67
Aircraft Owner City Blanding
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84511
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name SCENIC AVIATION INC
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 DYVA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FLG
Departure City Flagstaff
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1443
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RQE
Destination City Window Rock
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 8 2005 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --