- Date
- December 4, 1999, 11:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place
- Port Townsend, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1936VCessna 140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991204044079A
- Case key
- 48386
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
Compensation for wind conditions was inadequate. Gusting wind conditions were a factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was aware of gusting wind conditions in the area, however, he opted to continue for landing. While on final approach, the pilot kept the airspeed up to compensate for the crosswind. When the airplane touched down, it bounced and became airborne. The pilot applied power to correct for the situation. When the airplane touched down again, it bounced, then settled to the runway. During the landing roll, a gust of wind lifted the right wing and the left wing contacted the runway surface. The airplane veered to the left, crossed the runway and taxiway, and collided with a ditch off the side of the taxiway. The airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that the crosswind was 10 to 15 knots, with gusts in excess of 15 knots.
Factual narrative
On December 4, 1999, at 1140 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 140, N1936V, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, nosed over during the landing roll at the Jefferson County International Airport, Port Townsend, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The flight departed from Snohomish, Washington, about 30 minutes prior to the accident.
During a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he was aware of gusting wind conditions in the area, however, he opted to continue for a landing on runway 9. While on final approach, the pilot kept the airspeed up a little higher to compensate for the crosswind. When the aircraft touched down, it bounced and became airborne. The pilot applied power to correct for the situation. The aircraft touched down a second time and again bounced, then settled to the runway. The pilot reported that during the landing roll, a gust of wind lifted the right wing and the left wing contacted the runway surface. The airplane veered to the left, crossed the runway, a 30 foot wide grass area, and a taxiway before colliding with a ditch on the north side of the taxiway. The airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted.
The pilot reported that the winds were from the east southeast at 10-15 knots, with gusts in excess of 15 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1936V
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 14140
- Airframe hours
- 1,547
- Engine
- Continental C85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Elden W. Larson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- S43 · Snohomish, WA
- Airport
- 0S9 · Jefferson Co. Intl., runway 9, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 76
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Expired
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PAE, 23 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.