OpenAirDocs.org

19970407005259A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Aerocd 100 · Knights Landing, CA · April 7, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
April 7, 1997 · 11:30 local
Place
Knights Landing, CA
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N87770
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX97LA144
Reported as
Aerocd 100
Reported engine
Lycoming O320A2B
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
213 total42 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days
N87770Registration cancelled Nov 1, 1999 · Aero Commander 100S/N 328Airframe modelAero Commander 100

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: on April 7, 1997, at 1130 hours pacific daylight time, an aero commander 100, N87770, was substantially damaged during Landing at a private airstrip 1 mile north of Knights Landing, California. The aircraft was being operated by the owner/pilot and he was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at concord, California at 1050. The pilot was Landing for the first time at a 1,500-foot-long duster strip. He departed from a 4,400-foot-long runway at his home base, and stated that because of the shortness of the runway and the potential for automobile cross traffic at the other end, he attempted a short field Landing. However, the approach end of the runway had a dirt berm across it and it was hard to judge the height. As he approached the berm he added power to clear it, but the airplane stalled about 6 to 7 feet AGL and landed hard. The airplane bounced and turned left colliding with a metal storage shed. The pilot reported the winds were calm at the time of the Landing.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: ON APRIL 7, 1997, AT 1130 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AERO COMMANDER 100, N87770, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING LANDING AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP 1 MILE NORTH OF KNIGHTS LANDING, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE OWNER/PILOT AND HE WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AT 1050. THE PILOT WAS LANDING FOR THE FIRST TIME AT A 1,500-FOOT-LONG DUSTER STRIP. HE DEPARTED FROM A 4,400-FOOT-LONG RUNWAY AT HIS HOME BASE, AND STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE SHORTNESS OF THE RUNWAY AND THE POTENTIAL FOR AUTOMOBILE CROSS TRAFFIC AT THE OTHER END, HE ATTEMPTED A SHORT FIELD LANDING. HOWEVER, THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY HAD A DIRT BERM ACROSS IT AND IT WAS HARD TO JUDGE THE HEIGHT. AS HE APPROACHED THE BERM HE ADDED POWER TO CLEAR IT, BUT THE AIRPLANE STALLED ABOUT 6 TO 7 FEET AGL AND LANDED HARD. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND TURNED LEFT COLLIDING WITH A METAL STORAGE SHED. THE PILOT REPORTED THE WINDS WERE CALM AT THE TIME OF THE LANDING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX97LA144Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKnights Landing, CAthe pilot's failure to maintain minimum control airspeed during the approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control after landing.Apr 7, 1997 · Substantial damage