- Date
- August 3, 2002, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Quincy, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3766XAero Commander 100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020803023099A
- Case key
- 55399
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 the proper descent rate during the descent for landing. A proper glide path was not attained, inadequate remedial action, and a fence were factors.
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 the aircraft was slightly above the glide path while on final approach, at 80 mph indicated airspeed. The aircraft had 10 degrees of flaps extended. The pilot increased flap extension to 20 degrees, and noted a sudden and severe descent rate. The pilot added power, however, the descent rate was not arrested and the aircraft touched down approximately 150 feet short of the runway. During the landing roll, the aircraft collided with a fence, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft subsequently nosed over. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time of the accident. The winds were reported as calm with no turbulence.
Factual narrative
On August 3, 2002, approximately 0900 Pacific daylight time, an Aero Commander 100, N3766X, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with a fence short of the runway at Quincy Municipal Airport, Quincy, Washington, and subsequently nosed over. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot received minor injuries. The two passengers were not injured. The flight departed from Tonasket, Washington, about one hour and 30 minutes prior to the accident.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that the aircraft was slightly above glide path while on final approach for runway 27, at 80 MPH indicated airspeed. The aircraft had 10 degrees of flaps extended. The pilot increased flap extension to 20 degrees, and noted a sudden and severe descent rate. The pilot added power, however, the descent rate was not arrested and the aircraft touched down approximately 150 feet short of the runway. During the landing roll, the aircraft collided with a fence. The nose gear separated and the aircraft nosed over.
The pilot reported the weather at the time of the accident as calm winds and no turbulence. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported with the aircraft at the time.
At 0852, Moses Lake, Washington, METAR located 17 nautical miles southwest of Quincy, was reporting the weather as clear with winds from 190 degrees at 5 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3766X
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 100
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 257
- Airframe hours
- 2,638
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David B. Hanna
- Registered owner
- David B. Hanna & Robert L. Couch
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 5, 2002 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- W01 · Tonasket, WA
- Destination
- 80T · Quincy, WA
- Airport
- 80T · Quincy, runway 27, 3,660 × 50 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
- 47
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 2, 1997
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 411 total · 63 in this make and model · 320 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KMWH, 17 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.