- Date
- April 21, 2017, 16:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Wenatchee, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N661RPParlette Robert L Glastar
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern crosswind: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170421003489A
- Case key
- 95044
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent failure to adequately compensate for gusting wind conditions during a go-around.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the tundra-tire-equipped, tailwheel airplane reported that the airplane landed hard and "bounced pretty good." He applied power to go around, but during the crosswind turn, a downdraft pushed the airplane to the ground. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. After multiple requests, the pilot did not return the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 15 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 170° at 7 knots, gusting to 16 knots. It is unknown which direction the airplane was landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tundra tire–equipped, tailwheel airplane reported that, the airplane landed hard and "bounced pretty good". He applied power to go-around, but during the crosswind turn, a downdraft pushed the airplane to the ground, and subsequently the airplane impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. After multiple requests, the pilot did not return the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report as requested. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station, located on the airport, reported that about 15 minutes before the accident the wind was from 170° at 7 knots, gusting 16 knots. It's unknown which direction the airplane was landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N661RP
- Reported as
- Parlette Robert L Glastar (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 5620
- Built
- 2006
- Engine
- Superior XP-360
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- EAT · Wenatchee, WA
- Destination
- EAT · Wenatchee, WA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- EAT · Pangborn Memorial
- Equipment
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 75
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 7 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- KEAT
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 647 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.