# Accident 20210421005389A: Consolidated Vultee BT-13A, Camas, WA, April 21, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 21, 2021, 15:15 local time
- Place: Camas, WA
- Airport: Grove Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.6278° N, 122.4043° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6278&lon=-122.4043&mi=10
- Aircraft: N53331, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N53331-2022-02-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Consolidated Vultee BT-13A (registry code 2420224, https://openairdocs.org/model/consolidated-vultee-bt-13a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series (registry code 52008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CONSOLIDATED VULTEE BT-13A
- Reported engine: P&W R-985 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR21FA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21FA170) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210421005389A

## Narrative

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

THE FLIGHT STARTED AT GROVE FIELD (1W1) AT ABOUT 13:45 PST.  PILOT AND CFI FLEW TO HOOD RIVER (KEN JERNSTEDT AIRFIELD 4S2) WHERE THEY DID SEVERAL FULL STOP LANDINGS ON THE GRASS.  CFI STATED THAT THE PILOT?S RUDDER CONTROL WAS SLOPPY AND SAID THE PILOT HAD COMMENTED ON LEGS FEELING WEAK.

THEY FLEW BACK TO GROVE FIELD AND ENTERED THE PATTERN TO LAND ON 25.  PILOT COULD NOT STABILIZE THE APPROACH AND DID A GO AROUND WITHOUT TOUCHING DOWN.  AIRCRAFT WENT AROUND AND ACCORDING TO THE CFI THE  PILOT DID BETTER AND LANDED ?ON THE NUMBERS WITH A THREE POINT LANDING?.  AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED TO ABOUT 50 KNOTS  IT WENT SLIGHTLY LEFT WITH THE LEFT WHEEL GOING ON INTO THE GRASS AT ABOUT 400 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY.  CFI APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER WITH NO EFFECT.  HE HEARD THE PILOT CURSE AS THE PILOT APPLIED FULL THROTTLE AND PULLED BACK ON THE STICK.

THE AIRCRAFT SHARPLY WENT LEFT, CLIMBED INTO THE AIR THEN STALLED TO THE LEFT.  THE LEFT WING TIP HIT THE GROUND AND AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED ON IT'S NOSE AND THE STILL TURNING PROPELLER AS  THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE TAXIWAY IN FRONT OF THE HANGARS.  IT IMPACTED THE FRONT DOOR OF THE NORTHWEST HANGAR BELLY FIRST WITH THE TAIL IN THE AIR.

THE FORWARD COCKPIT WAS CRUSHED.  THE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.  CFI IN THE BACK SEAT WAS THROWN AGAINST THE AFT INSTRUMENT PANEL.  CFI RELEASED HIS SEATBELTS AND FELL OUT OF THE AFT COCKPIT ONTO THE GROUND (AFT CANOPY SLID FORWARD DURING IMPACT).  BOTH PILOTS WERE WEARING FLIGHT HELMENTS.  ELT WAS ACTIVATED BY IMPACT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR21FA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21FA170), Apr 21, 2021: Consolidated Vultee BT-13A (N53331), Camas, WA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during an aborted landing, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

## Other reports on N53331 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20160812020179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160812020179A), Aug 12, 2016: Consolidated Vultee BT-13A (N53331), Joseph, OR, Substantial damage. During landing rollout on runway 33, the aircraft departed the runway to the right and onto the grass. The airman added full power to initiate a go-around and…

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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