SEA03LA175

NTSB accident investigation · Globe GC-1B · Cottonwood, ID · August 20, 2003

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 20, 2003, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
Place
Cottonwood, ID
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N80978Globe GC-1B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 30, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20030820019989A
Case key
57765

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 improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane. Factors contributing to the accident were the updraft, the terrain drop-off, and the fence.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Weather condition - updraftFactor
Recovery from bounced landing - improperPilot in commandCause
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Terrain condition - drop-off/descending embankmentFactor
Object - fenceFactor

Analysis

While flaring to land, an updraft caused the airplane to rise and touchdown on the main landing gear somewhat hard. After the aircraft bounced, the pilot initiated a go-around with the carburetor heat on and the flaps in the down position. Full power was added, but the plane mushed and came back down, resulting in the left main landing gear collapsing. The aircraft exited the left side of the runway and down a slight incline before impacting a fence and coming to rest in an adjoining pasture.

Factual narrative

On August 20, 2003, approximately 0930 Pacific daylight time, a Globe GC-1B single-engine airplane, N80978, sustained substantial damage after a hard landing at the Cottonwood Municipal Airport (S64), Cottonwood, Idaho. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from the Orofino Municipal Airport, Orofino, Idaho, at 0910

In a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, and according to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that while flaring to land an updraft caused the airplane to rise and touch down on the main landing gear "somewhat hard," causing the aircraft to bounce. The pilot stated that after it bounced he initiated a go-around with the carburetor heat on and the flaps in the down position. The pilot stated that despite adding full power the plane mushed and came back down, resulting in the left main landing gear collapsing. The airplane exited the runway down an incline to the left, impacted a fence, and came to rest upright in the adjoining pasture on the south side of the airstrip.

In addition to the damaged left main landing gear, both wings were substantially damaged, and the propeller was damaged due to a propeller strike.

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Aircraft

Registration
N80978
Reported as
Globe GC-1B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1171
Airframe hours
887
Engine
Continental C125, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Paul E. Smith
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 7, 2003
Departed
S68 · Orofino, ID
Destination
S84 · Cottonwood, ID
Airport
S84 · Cottonwood Municipal Airport, runway 25, 3,100 × 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
58
Injuries
None
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
July 27, 2002
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,775 total · 6 in this make and model · 1,775 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
20° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 46 °F
Altimeter
30.09 inHg
Observed at
LWS, 42 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.