# NTSB SEA04LA066: PZL Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 Wilga 35A, N65ZA, Burlington, WA, March 29, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 29, 2004, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Burlington, WA - Coordinates: 48.469165, -122.420555 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4692&lon=-122.4206&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 59017 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA04LA066 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59017/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA066 ## Probable cause The passenger's interference with flight controls during a go-around maneuver. Contributing to the accident were the passenger's anxiety/apprehension, the pilot's inadequate brief to the passenger about potential control interference, and the gusty wind conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Abrupt maneuver, go-around (vfr) - anxiety/apprehension, passenger (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - control interference - inadvertent, passenger (cause) - passenger briefing - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Hard landing, go-around (vfr) - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot reported that he was practicing touch and go landings on runway 10 at the Skagit Regional airport. On the eighth landing the pilot encountered a sudden gust of wind approximately five feet above ground and executed a go around maneuver. He reported that his passenger panicked inadvertently pushing the control stick full forward. The aircraft nosed down steeply to a hard landing impacting the propeller on the runway. The pilot reported that "...better communication & briefing of passenger about go-around may have prevented panic by passenger...." Winds at Arlington Municipal airport, situated 21 nautical miles southeast of Burlington airport, at 1255 on the afternoon of the accident were reported as coming from 120 degrees magnetic at 17 knots with gusts to 20 knots. ## Factual narrative On March 29, 2004, approximately 1300 Pacific standard time, a PZL 104 Wilga 35A experimentally certificated aircraft, N65ZA, registered to a resident of Gig Harbor, Washington, and being operated/flown by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during an abrupt maneuver/hard landing during a go around at the Skagit Regional airport (BVS), Burlington, Washington. Neither the pilot nor his passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was operated under 14CFR91, and originated at BVS shortly after noon. The pilot reported that he was practicing touch and go landings on runway 10. On the eighth landing the pilot encountered a sudden gust of wind approximately five feet above ground and executed a go around maneuver. He reported that his passenger panicked inadvertently pushing the control stick full forward. The aircraft nosed down steeply to a hard landing impacting the propeller on the runway. The pilot reported that "...better communication & briefing of passenger about go-around may have prevented panic by passenger..." (refer to NTSB Form 6120.1/2). Winds at Arlington Municipal airport, situated 21 nautical miles southeast of Burlington airport, at 1255 on the afternoon of the accident were reported as coming from 120 degrees magnetic at 17 knots with gusts to 20 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N65ZA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N65ZA-2018-03-29), registration cancelled 2018-03-29, S/N 18830758, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PZL Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 Wilga 35A - Registry model: [P Z L -Warszawa-Cnpsl PZL-104 WILGA 35A](https://openairdocs.org/model/p-z-l-warszawa-cnpsl-pzl-104-wilga-35a) (registry code 7360104) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Wsk-Pzl PZL AI-14 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/wsk-pzl-pzl-ai-14-series) (registry code 67202, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18830758 - Airframe hours: 2700 - Engines: PZL-Warszana A1-14R 251 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Martynovych, James A. - Registered owner: Jacobson, Timothy S. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: BVS, Burlington, WA - Destination: BVS - Airport: BVS, Skagit Regional, runway 10, 5,478 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review April 1, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 830 total, 30 in this make and model, 770 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 10 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 14,000 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: NUW, 12 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040329005499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040329005499A), Mar 29, 2004: Pzlwar PZL104W35A, Burlington/Mt V, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was doing touch & go operation and had a gust of wind hit the side of the a/c. he stated he was going to go around and the pax pushed forward on… ## Other investigations on N65ZA (1) 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. - [NTSB GAA16CA444](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA444), Aug 21, 2016: P Z L -Warszawa-Cnpsl PZL 104 Wilga (N65ZA), Austin, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate during the base to final turn, which resulted in a forced landing, and an intentional aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was… 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.