20010713020699A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Tekoa, WA · July 13, 2001

Date: July 13, 2001 · 10:15 local
Place: Tekoa, WA
Airport: Willard Field Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N4920F
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA01LA130
Reported as: Piper PA28181

N4920FRegistration cancelled Mar 23, 2004 · Piper PA-28-181S/N 28-7790073 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-181 Engine modelLycoming 0-360-A1DReciprocating

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.

(-23) The flight instructor with a bfr pilot (expired) on final approach to Willard field, Tekoa, WA runway 20, pilot aimed for the end of the runway, and was too low, striking the tops of the wheat field on short final. The instructor "grabbed" the controls, when he observed the rising terrain, however the aircraft wheels had struck the wheat, which "pulled the aircraft down". Instructor pulled back to keep the nose up. The aircraft hit hard, shearing off the landing gear, which flew up and struck the vertical stabilizer and rudder, as well as tearing metal on the under side of the wing. The second bounce was without gear, and the aircraft skidded for 237 feet down the runway. No injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WITH A BFR PILOT (EXPIRED) ON FINAL APPROACH TO WILLARD FIELD, TEKOA, WA RUNWAY 20, PILOT AIMED FOR THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND WAS TOO LOW, STRIKING THE TOPS OF THE WHEAT FIELD ON SHORT FINAL. THE INSTRUCTOR "GRABBED" THE CONTROLS, WHEN HE OBSERVED THE RISING TERRAIN, HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT WHEELS HAD STRUCK THE WHEAT, WHICH "PULLED THE AIRCRAFT DOWN". INSTRUCTOR PULLED BACK TO KEEP THE NOSE UP. THE AIRCRAFT HIT HARD, SHEARING OFF THE LANDING GEAR, WHICH FLEW UP AND STRUCK THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER, AS WELL AS TEARING METAL ON THE UNDER SIDE OF THE WING. THE SECOND BOUNCE WAS WITHOUT GEAR, AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED FOR 237 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY. NO INJURIES.

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 SEA01LA130Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTekoa, WAThe non-current pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance with wheat crops on short final, and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action. Factors included wheat crops and a dirt bank on short final, the runway's lack of a visual…Jul 13, 2001 · Substantial damage