# NTSB SEA04LA001: Cessna 340, N2695S, Blakely Island, WA, October 2, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 2, 2003, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Blakely Island, WA - Coordinates: 48.578887, -122.826385 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.5789&lon=-122.8264&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report December 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: SEA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58078 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA04LA001 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58078/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA001 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for downdrafts on final approach resulting in an excessive descent rate on short final. Factors include downdrafts off the approach end of the selected runway, and low clouds/fog. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - descent - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - Gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis When the pilot took off from Roche Harbor, the ceiling was about 700 feet above the ground (AGL), and remained so along his route. When he got to Blakely Island, he found the area near the north end of the runway was covered with low-level stratus clouds. Although he desired to land on runway 19, since the clouds were near the north end of the runway, he elected to proceed to the south end of the airport and land to the north. While on short final for runway 01, the aircraft encountered an area of downdrafts. Although the pilot added power and tried to adjust the sink rate, his remedial actions were insufficient to keep the aircraft from landing very hard just off the end of the paved surface. When the aircraft contacted the terrain, the landing gear collapsed, the wings were bent upwards, and the aircraft slid onto the paved runway surface and ultimately came to a stop. According to the pilot, there did not seem to be any problems with the aircraft's engines or flight control systems. The pilot further stated that because of the known turbulent air and downdrafts off the south end of the runway, of the "several hundred" landings he has made at Blakely Island, only a few have been on runway 01. ## Factual narrative On October 2, 2003, approximately 1600 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 340, N2695S, landed hard about 30 feet short of the approach end of runway 01 at Blakely Island, Washington. The private pilot and his passenger received minor injuries, and the aircraft, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Roche Harbor Airport, Roche Harbor, Washington, about 30 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions in an area of occasional low clouds and fog. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, when he took off from Roche Harbor, the ceiling was about 700 feet above the ground (AGL), and remained so along his route. When he got to Blakely Island, he found the area near the north end of the runway was covered with low-level stratus clouds. Although he desired to land on runway 19, since the clouds were near the north end of the runway, he elected to proceed to the south end of the airport and land to the north. Reportedly, while on short final to runway 01, the aircraft encountered an area of downdrafts. Although the pilot added power and tried to adjust the sink rate, the aircraft landed very hard just off the end of the paved surface. When the aircraft contacted the terrain, the landing gear collapsed, the wings were bent upwards, and the aircraft slid onto the paved runway surface and ultimately came to a stop. According to the pilot, there did not seem to be any problems with the aircraft's engines or flight control systems. The pilot further stated that because of the known turbulent air and downdrafts off the south end of the runway, of the "several hundred" landings he has made at Blakely Island, only a few have been on runway 01. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2695S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2695S-2004-03-02), registration cancelled 2004-03-02, S/N 340A0772, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 340 - Registry model: [Cessna 340A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-340a) (registry code 2076405) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 340A-0772 - Airframe hours: 3800 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520NB 325 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Lawrence M. Elliam - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 6, 2003, 40 hours before - Departed: W39, Roche Harbor, WA - Destination: 38WA, Blakely Island, WA - Airport: 38WA, Blakely Island, runway 01, 2,200 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 4, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 6,500 total, 3,500 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 10 knots - Visibility: 1.5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 700 ft overcast - Temperature: 61 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031002024929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031002024929A), Oct 2, 2003: Cessna 340A, Blakely Island, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) N2695S, a Cessna 340, piloted by lawrence m. elliman, landed short of the runway while attempting to land on runway 1, at Blakely Island, WA. Pilot… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.