# Accident 19981219045049A: Piper PA34200, Bellingham, WA, December 19, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 19, 1998, 16:50 local time
- Place: Bellingham, WA
- Airport: Bellingham International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.7927° N, 122.5375° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BELLINGHAM INTL (BLI), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.7927&lon=-122.5375&mi=10
- Aircraft: CGHFD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA34200
- Reported engine: LYC IO360C1E6
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,241 total, 4,464 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981219045049A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) AIRCRAFT INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE ATTEMPTING A LANDING IN HIGH GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS. (.4)THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE WAS ON APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY AND ABOUT 30' TO 50' ABOVE GROUND WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHEAR DOWNDRAFT SO SEVERE THAT ALL LOOSE THINGS IN THE COCKPIT FLEW UP TO THE CEILING.    HE BELIEVED THAT HE MUST HAVE BEEN CRABBING AT THE TIME OF TOUCHDOWN, AND THE SIDE FORCES AT THE TIME OF THE LANDING BROKE THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR ABOVE THE WHEEL/AXLE CASTING.  THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED BUCKLING OF THE RIGHT WING AND BUCKLING AT THE REAR OF THE CABIN.  CONTROL TOWER PERSONNEL WHO OBSERVED THE LANDING CHARACTERIZED IT AS A VERY HARD LANDING.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, HOWEVER WINDS WERE AT 30 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 41 KNOTS.                                                      (TTY)CANADIAN REGISTERED ACFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR ON APPROACH AND LANDED SIDEWAYS.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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