- Date
- August 8, 2001, 21:00 local (Aug 9, 2001, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Thompson Falls, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N699WLPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010808020759A
- Case key
- 53397
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 inadequate compensation in gusting wind conditions during the landing flare. A tree was 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 during the flare for touch down, a sudden gust of wind lifted the left wing. The pilot applied full power in an attempt to stabilize the upset. The stall horn sounded and the aircraft drifted to the right side of the runway. The pilot was successful in stabilizing the aircraft when the left wing collided with a pine tree. The airplane touched down, collapsing the nose and left main landing gear. The airplane spun around about 180 degrees before coming to rest. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time.
Factual narrative
On August 8, 2001, approximately 2100 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N699WL, registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with a tree just prior to landing at Thompson Falls airport, Thompson Falls, Montana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight departed from Great Falls, Montana, about one-and-a half hours prior to the accident.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that during the flare for touch down, a sudden gust of wind lifted the left wing and "pitched the plane over at 90 degree angle and up." The pilot applied full power in an attempt to stabilize the upset. The stall horn sounded and the aircraft drifted to the right side of the runway. The pilot was successful in lowering the nose of the airplane when the left wing struck a pine tree. The airplane descended to the ground, collapsing the nose and left main landing gear. The airplane spun around about 180 degrees before coming to rest. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time.
The pilot reported the wind from 70 degrees at 10 to 15 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N699WL
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1973
- Airframe hours
- 3,061
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bernard J. Stender
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 25, 2000 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- GTF · Great Falls, MT
- Destination
- Thompson Falls, MT
- Airport
- THM · Thompson Falls, runway 07, 4,200 × 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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- February 10, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 70 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.