What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot after 2 hour 15 minute cross country flight from reno, NV, was landing at Pearson field (60S) Vancouver, WA. He intended to land shortly past numbers on runway 26 (runway 26 has a threshold displacement of 762 feet and is clearly marked on runway surface). He had wind reports from portland (pdx) ATIS of winds from the west, 6 knots light and variable. The pilot stated he was on a long final approach at 90 mph indicated, with full flaps set at 40 degrees for touchdown. At 20 feet over the threshold the wind changed, he lost lift and the airplane suddenly sank to the ground still in approach attitude (nose high) and struck the runway crushing both main gear assemblies. Two witnesses preparing for takeoff in the run up area for runway 26 watched N6114 land on runway 26. Both witnesses indicated that N6114'S approach was steep and high speed, when the pilot attempted to flare at 20' above ground the aircraft continued down at a high rate of speed and struck the runway in front of them at a relatively flat angle to the runway and it appeared to explode all three main gear out from under it and the aircraft continued down the runway on its belly for a considerable distance.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT AFTER 2 HOUR 15 MINUTE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM RENO, NV, WAS LANDING AT PEARSON FIELD (60S) VANCOUVER, WA. HE INTENDED TO LAND SHORTLY PAST NUMBERS ON RUNWAY 26 (RUNWAY 26 HAS A THRESHOLD DISPLACEMENT OF 762 FEET AND IS CLEARLY MARKED ON RUNWAY SURFACE). HE HAD WIND REPORTS FROM PORTLAND (PDX) ATIS OF WINDS FROM THE WEST, 6 KNOTS LIGHT AND VARIABLE. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ON A LONG FINAL APPROACH AT 90 MPH INDICATED, WITH FULL FLAPS SET AT 40 DEGREES FOR TOUCHDOWN. AT 20 FEET OVER THE THRESHOLD THE WIND CHANGED, HE LOST LIFT AND THE AIRPLANE SUDDENLY SANK TO THE GROUND STILL IN APPROACH ATTITUDE (NOSE HIGH) AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY CRUSHING BOTH MAIN GEAR ASSEMBLIES. TWO WITNESSES PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF IN THE RUN UP AREA FOR RUNWAY 26 WATCHED N6114 LAND ON RUNWAY 26. BOTH WITNESSES INDICATED THAT N6114'S APPROACH WAS STEEP AND HIGH SPEED, WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLARE AT 20' ABOVE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DOWN AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY IN FRONT OF THEM AT A RELATIVELY FLAT ANGLE TO THE RUNWAY AND IT APPEARED TO EXPLODE ALL THREE MAIN GEAR OUT FROM UNDER IT AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY ON ITS BELLY FOR A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE.
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 N6114 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.