Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bellingham Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bellingham, Washington 98226
Sunday, September 21, 2014 14:38 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The student pilot planned to conduct a solo cross-country flight to another towered airport. His preflight inspection, engine start and runup, takeoff, and flight of the special light-sport airplane were all uneventful. When he neared the destination airport, he was instructed to enter the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 16. He was subsequently cleared for "closed traffic" pattern work, and instructed to follow another airplane. The pilot informed the air traffic controller that he intended to do a full stop landing, and shortly thereafter, was instructed to turn base leg. He selected full flaps (40 degrees) for landing after turning final. According to the pilot, the wind was from 180 degrees at 7 knots, and the airplane was "just a little" to the right of the centerline for part of the last segment of the final approach. The pilot flared for landing, and the airplane touched down on the main gear, but then "ballooned" back airborne. The airplane bounced again, and then on the third bounce, the nose landing gear failed. The airplane slid to a stop on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage structure. During the bounce sequence, the pilot only used the control wheel to attempt to control and stop the bounces; he did not vary the throttle setting. 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 inadequate flare and failure to maintain aircraft control during landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/21/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1438 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Bellingham |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98226 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 484734N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1223215W |
| Event Location Airport | Bellingham Intl |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KBLI |
| 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 | 170 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BLI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 170 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.83 |
| 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) | 33359 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NWM ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 7 2014 4:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | eckd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6035S |
| NTSB Number | WPR14CA386 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO |
| Aircraft Model | E162 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | UNDESIGNAT |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 16200155 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1321 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 8 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 37 |
| Airframe Hours | 1384 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | RAINIER FLIGHT SERVICE LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 790 W PERIMETER RD UNIT B |
| Aircraft Owner City | RENTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 980575310 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | RAINIER FLIGHT SERVICE LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 790 W PERIMETER RD UNIT B |
| Operator City | RENTON |
| Operator State | WA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 980575310 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KRNT |
| Departure City | Renton |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1325 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KBLI |
| Destination City | Bellingham |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 7 2014 4:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | eckd |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 16 |
| Runway Length | 6701 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |