Skagit Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Burlington, Washington 98233
Saturday, May 16, 2009 18:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The Cessna pilot reported that as he entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern he observed the Pitts making a high-speed, low pass over the runway surface. After reaching a point 3/4 down the runway, the Pitts began a steep, near vertical climb. It then appeared to turn toward the downwind leg. The Cessna pilot made a transmission over the common traffic advisory (CTAF) frequency querying if the Pitts had his airplane in sight. There was no response. The Cessna pilot continued maneuvering the airplane onto base and then final approach, making a radio transmission of his position at each leg. The Cessna touched down normally and began to slow as the pilot applied brakes. While the Cessna slowed, the Pitts landed on top of the left wing. The Pitts skidded out in front of the Cessna, sliding inverted and backwards down the runway; the Cessna skidded and nosed over. The Pitts pilot reported that he aborted his first landing approach due to traffic that had not yet cleared the runway, aggressively ascended to traffic pattern altitude, and began a left traffic pattern. The Pitts pilot stated that during his second approach, he did not see any other airplanes, nor did he hear any other traffic over the CTAF, which he was monitoring. According to 14 CFR 91.113, "Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot of another airplane to maintain adequate visual lookout during the approach.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Burlington
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98233
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 482825n
Event Location Longitude 1222515w
Event Location Airport Skagit Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BVS
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 144
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1810 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BVS
Elevation of weather observation facility 144
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.21
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 1
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26570
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 30 2010 10:28AM
User who most recently changed record grol
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N70323 N133GT
NTSB Number WPR09FA246A WPR09FA246B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR None
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes No
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA Kilroy
Aircraft Model 172 Pitts
Aircraft Series Identifier M Model 12
Aircraft Serial Number 172672 137
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300 2250
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No Yes
Flight Crew Seats 2 2
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats 2 --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour --
Date of Last Inspection Apr 29 2009 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 30 --
Airframe Hours 6530 --
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Yes Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type C91 C91
Aircraft Owner Name Westwind Aviation Inc. Sierra Aviation Group Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 156 Westcott Dr. --
Aircraft Owner City Friday Harbor Portland
Aircraft Owner State WA OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98250 87229
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name Westwind Aviation Inc. Barry Woods
Operator Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address 156 Westcott Dr. --
Operator City Friday Harbor Portland
Operator State WA OR
Operator Country USA USA
Operator Zip code 98250 87229
Operator Code -- --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
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 Only --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) -- Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No Yes
Departure Airport Code 11S BVS
Departure City Sekiu Burlington
Departure State WA WA
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time 1520 --
Departure Time Zone PDT PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code BVS BVS
Destination City Burlington Burlington
Destination State WA WA
Destination Country USA USA
Specific Phase of Flight -- --
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 9 2010 3:13PM Feb 3 2010 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record johb coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28 28
Runway Length 5477 5477
Runway Width 100 100
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --