Zema Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colville, Washington 99114
Saturday, October 16, 2010 12:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he was landing the airplane on a turf airstrip at a private airport with a crosswind of about 7 to 12 knots. During the landing approach, about 20 feet above the airstrip, the airplane encountered a gust of wind. As a result, the airplane drifted to the edge of runway and the right wing impacted a tree. The airplane subsequently descended to the ground and came to rest with the right wing no longer attached to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to compensate for a wind gust and maintain runway alignment during final approach to land, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Colville
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99114
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 493840N
Event Location Longitude 1175617W
Event Location Airport Zema Private Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WA72
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 1854
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID DEW
Elevation of weather observation facility 2211
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
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) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27678
NTSB Notification Source NW 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 Nov 5 2010 2:08PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N169WP
NTSB Number WPR11CA018
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DEITZ
Aircraft Model AVID FLYER MK4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1262-D
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Fixed
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 Harrell Hartman
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City COLVILLE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99114-8520
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Harrell Hartman
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City COLVILLE
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99114-8520
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code WA72
Departure City Colville
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code WA72
Destination City Colville
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 5 2010 2:08PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 07
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --