Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Eagle Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bullhead City, Arizona 86449
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 10:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
As the flight approached its destination, the pilot listened to the automated surface observation station weather report at an airport located about 7 nautical miles north of the destination airport. According to the pilot, the wind at the nearby airport was out of the northwest at 10 mph gusting to 15. The pilot stated that he flew over the destination airport and determined that the winds were as reported at the nearby airport. The final approach to Runway 35 appeared normal to the pilot, and he noticed a crosswind presence. The pilot commented that the "airplane was responding as usual, and there was no indication of severe gusting or any unusual wind condition." The pilot said that as the airplane touched down, "an extreme unpredictable northwest dust devil and/or whirlwind hit the front of my airplane causing the airplane to veer to the right." The airplane veered to the right, exited the runway, and impacted bushes adjacent to the runway. The nose landing gear and left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing tip fuel tank and left aileron were bent and wrinkled. About 1 hour before the accident, the reported wind at the nearby airport was from 270 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 18 knots. Near the time of the accident, the reported wind was from 300 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 22 knots. About 1 hour after the accident, the reported wind was from 300 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 22 knots. Based on the reported gusty northwest winds, it appears likely that what the pilot called a "northwest dust devil and/or whirlwind" was actually a gust of wind from the northwest.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting crosswinds and his failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/8/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1000 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Bullhead City |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 86449 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 345317N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1143659W |
| Event Location Airport | Eagle Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | A09 |
| 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 | 485 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 956 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EED |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 983 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| 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) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 22 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25758 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SDL FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 22 2009 3:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3224Q |
| NTSB Number | WPR09LA221 |
| 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 | RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY |
| Aircraft Model | A36 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | E3224 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 835 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | RECH JACK R |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | BLODGETT |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97326 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | RECH JACK R |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | BLODGETT |
| Operator State | OR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 97326 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | CNO |
| Departure City | Chino |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 900 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | A09 |
| Destination City | Bullhead City |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 22 2009 3:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 4800 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |