- Date
- November 11, 2017, 07:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Burlington, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N141WCStinson SR 5E
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area overshoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 21, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171111018679A
- Case key
- 96321
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 unstabilized approach, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and nose-over. Also causal to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to land on a closed alternate grass landing area.
Findings · 6
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 amphibious, float-equipped airplane reported that, 2 days before a repositioning flight, he inspected the destination airport. He had planned to land on an alternate grass landing area, adjacent to an asphalt runway, and stop before reaching a gravel driveway. He further reported that he noticed in the airport facility directory (AFD) that the intended landing area was closed due to soft, wet conditions. The pilot reported that, during landing, he was "high and fast." He further reported that he landed "too far along to stop before the gravel drive." The airplane reached the gravel driveway, bounced, and then landed hard, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The AFD for the accident airport, in part, stated: "[Alternate Grass Landing Area (AGLA)]: AGLA clsd 1 Nov-1 June. Gnd soft when wet. [Daylight] hrs only. Use of AGLA prohibited when Rwy 04-22 in use….Pilots use at own risk."
Factual narrative
The pilot of the amphibious, float-equipped airplane reported that, two days before a repositioning flight, he inspected the destination airport. He had planned to land on an alternate grass landing area, adjacent to an asphalt runway, and stop prior to a gravel driveway. He further reported that he noticed in the airport facility directory that the intended landing area was closed due to soft, wet conditions. The pilot reported that, during landing, he was "high and fast". He further reported that he landed "too far along to stop before the gravel drive". The airplane encountered the gravel driveway, bounced, and landed hard, resulting in a nose over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport facility directory for the accident airport, in part stated: "[Alternate Grass Landing Area (AGLA)]: AGLA clsd 1 Nov-1 June. Gnd soft when wet. [Daylight] hrs only. Use of AGLA prohibited when Rwy 04-22 in use." It further stated: "Pilots use at own risk."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N141WC
- Reported as
- Stinson SR 5E (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9256A
- Built
- 1934
- Airframe hours
- 1,313
- Engine
- Lycoming R680-13, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2017
- Departed
- 0W7 · Bellingham, WA
- Destination
- BVS · Burlington, WA
- Airport
- BVS · Skagit Rgnl, runway 22, 3,000 × 60 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 80
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 9, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 5,864 total · 340 in this make and model · 5,369 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KBVS
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.