- Date
- September 28, 2017, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Skagit, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N43JMBoeing PT 13
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170928011159A
- Case key
- 96110
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 failure to maintain clearance from airport lighting during the landing roll.
Findings · 2
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
According to the pilot in the high-performance, tailwheel-equipped biplane, he landed on a turf airstrip which he described as "long and wide." He added that "there was no wind." During the landing roll, he taxied the biplane along the right edge of the runway, and the lower right wing struck a precision approach path indicator (PAPI) control box. The pilot reported that the accident was caused by a lack of situational awareness during the landing roll. The PAPI lights were identified in the airport facility directory. The biplane sustained substantial damage to the lower right-wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the biplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot in the high-performance, tailwheel-equipped bi-plane, he landed on a turf airstrip which he described as, "long and wide and there was no wind." During the landing roll, he piloted the airplane along the right edge of the runway, and the lower right wing struck a precision approach path indicator (PAPI) control box. The pilot reported that the accident was caused by a lack of situational awareness during the landing roll. The PAPI lights are identified in the airport facility directory. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower right-wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N43JM
- Reported as
- Boeing PT 13 (D)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-5825
- Built
- 1943
- Engine
- Lycoming R-680-17, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 15, 2017
- Departed
- 3W5 · Concrete, WA
- Destination
- KBVS · Burlington, WA
- Airport
- BVS · Skagit Rgnl, runway 22, 3,000 × 60 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Heads up display, Handheld GPS
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 27, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,640 total · 15 in this make and model · 1,559 as pilot in command · 76 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KBVS
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 30, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.4 MB 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.