What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) A witness observed the aircraft approach the airstrip from the west, for landing to the east. While on final approach, power fluctuations were heard. The aircraft touched down on the approach end of the airstrip, then bounced into the air to about 20 feet. The witness then heard the pilot apply corrective power for about three to five seconds before full power was applied. The aircraft continued to travel the length of the airstrip, gaining little altitude, before the witness lost sight of the aircraft beyond the trees at the upper end of the airstrip. The aircraft continued up a narrow valley surrounded by rising terrain. About one mile into the canyon, the aircraft collided with the valley floor in a near vertical attitude. During the post-accident investigation, no evidence was found of a mechanical failure or malfunction. The owner/operator of the aircraft reported that the pilot was aware that landings were to be made to the east and takeoff to the west. Takeoff to the east is not recommended due to rapidly rising terrain. (-23) the purpose of the flight was an FAR 135 on demand charter to a priva te airport located in the Idaho primitive area. The approach to the 2600 foot runway was normal with slightly higher airspeed due to gusting wind conditions. The aircraft touched down on the first 1/4 of the runway and bounced. The pilot added power to stabilize the aircraft and reland. At the midpoint of the runway the pilot initiated a go around. The aircraft reached an altitude of 25 feet AGL before turning to the north. The aircraft struck flat ground at the head of a blind canyon one mile north of the airport.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT APPROACH THE AIRSTRIP FROM THE WEST, FOR LANDING TO THE EAST. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, POWER FLUCTUATIONS WERE HEARD. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE APPROACH END OF THE AIRSTRIP, THEN BOUNCED INTO THE AIR TO ABOUT 20 FEET. THE WITNESS THEN HEARD THE PILOT APPLY CORRECTIVE POWER FOR ABOUT THREE TO FIVE SECONDS BEFORE FULL POWER WAS APPLIED. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TRAVEL THE LENGTH OF THE AIRSTRIP, GAINING LITTLE ALTITUDE, BEFORE THE WITNESS LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT BEYOND THE TREES AT THE UPPER END OF THE AIRSTRIP. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED UP A NARROW VALLEY SURROUNDED BY RISING TERRAIN. ABOUT ONE MILE INTO THE CANYON, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE VALLEY FLOOR IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE OWNER/OPERATOR OF THE AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT THE PILOT WAS AWARE THAT LANDINGS WERE TO BE MADE TO THE EAST AND TAKEOFF TO THE WEST. TAKEOFF TO THE EAST IS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN. (-23) THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS AN FAR 135 ON DEMAND CHARTER TO A PRIVA TE AIRPORT LOCATED IN THE IDAHO PRIMITIVE AREA. THE APPROACH TO THE 2600 FOOT RUNWAY WAS NORMAL WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER AIRSPEED DUE TO GUSTING WIND CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE FIRST 1/4 OF THE RUNWAY AND BOUNCED. THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO STABILIZE THE AIRCRAFT AND RELAND. AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT INITIATED A GO AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 25 FEET AGL BEFORE TURNING TO THE NORTH. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK FLAT GROUND AT THE HEAD OF A BLIND CANYON ONE MILE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N902CT · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.