SEA01LA074

NTSB accident investigation · Aviat A-1B · Hagerman, ID · April 17, 2001

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 17, 2001, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Hagerman, ID
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N440PSAviat A-1B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 17, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA - Boise FSDO
Case key
52094

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment during an attempted go-around, resulting in an inflight collision with a wind sock. Factors were a short runway/landing area condition, the pilot's excessive airspeed on final approach, and the wind sock.

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.

In flight collision with objectGo-around (vfr)
Terrain condition - short runway/landing areaFactor
Airspeed - excessivePilot in commandFactor
Go-around - attemptedPilot in command
Proper alignment - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Object - wind sock/indicatorFactor
Altitude/clearance - not maintainedPilot in command
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The pilot stated that his final approach to his private airstrip was to the east. He stated that upon touchdown, he felt he was a little too fast so he executed a go-around. He stated that upon rotation, he began drifting left and struck a small windsock at the east end of the airstrip with the airplane's left wing tip. The pilot stated that the airplane then spun left and struck the ground "flat" and dug its right wing tip into the dirt. The pilot stated that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved in the accident, and that winds were calm. The pilot reported that his airstrip was 1,000 feet long.

Factual narrative

On April 17, 2001, approximately 1100 mountain daylight time, an Aviat A-1B airplane, N440PS, was substantially damaged when it struck a wind sock and crashed during an attempted go-around at a private airstrip about 2 miles north of Hagerman, Idaho. The commercial pilot, who was the airplane's sole occupant, was not injured in the accident. The pilot reported that visual meteorlogical conditions with calm winds prevailed at the time. No flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR 91 personal flight, which departed Friedman Memorial Airport, Hailey, Idaho, about 1030.

The pilot reported that his airstrip was 1,000 feet long, with a grass surface in good condition, and that his final approach was to the east. He stated that upon touchdown, he felt he was a little too fast so he executed a go-around. He stated that upon rotation, he began drifting left and struck a small windsock at the east end of the airstrip with the airplane's left wing tip. The pilot stated that the airplane then spun left and struck the ground "flat" and dug its right wing tip into the dirt. The pilot stated that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved in the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N440PS
Reported as
Aviat A-1B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
2078
Airframe hours
130
Engine
Lycoming O-360-A1P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · March 22, 2001 · 25 hours before
Departed
SUN · Hailey, ID
Destination
Hagerman, ID
Airport
Private Airstrip, runway 9, 1,000 × 75 ft, grass/turf

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
56
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
January 7, 2001
Seat
Front
Flight hours
3,173 total · 130 in this make and model · 2,597 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
55 °F