- Date
- February 22, 2005, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- The Dalles, OR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N181WCPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 7, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administrationn
- FAA report
- 20050222002729A
- Case key
- 61081
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 student pilot's improper compensation for the wind condition and the improper rejected landing procedure, which resulted in the collision with terrain. A contributing factor to the accident was the crosswind condition.
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
On final approach the student pilot became nervous thinking about landing with a crosswind, as she had no previous training in crosswind landings. With the wind pushing the airplane to the left the pilot initiated a go-around, but became confused and could not remember if the nose should be pitched up or down. The airplane initially pitched down, resulting in the left wing impacting the ground and cartwheeling. The aircraft came to rest in an upright position with the left wing separated into three pieces.
Factual narrative
On February 22, 2005, approximately 1500 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28-181 single-engine airplane, N181WC sustained substantial damage after impacting terrain following an aborted landing at the Columbia Gorge Regional/The Dalles Municipal Airport (DLS), The Dalles, Oregon. The airplane was registered to a private individual, and the student pilot, sole occupant of the aircraft sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight, which was conducted in accordance with 14 CFR Part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight departed DLS about 1445.
According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the student pilot reported that while inbound for landing on Runway 07, "...the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) told me the wind was at 9 knots. I started getting nervous thinking of landing with wind. We had no training on crosswinds." The student pilot stated that on final [approach] when she realized the wind was pushing her to the left and the stall warning [horn] was going off, she [added] full throttle to go around. The student pilot related that at this time the [airplane] initially pitched down, but then she became totally confused. "...it felt like I was spinning. In turning to the left the wing caught [the ground] and brought me down." The student pilot also reported that she could not remember whether the nose of the airplane was supposed to be pitched up or down when attempting a go-around.
A Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector traveled to the accident site and reported the left wing was broken into three pieces.
At 1453, the DLS ASOS weather reporting system indicated wind 060 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 statue miles, sky clear, temperature 12 degrees C, dew point -3 degrees C, and the altimeter setting of 30.23 inches of Mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N181WC
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8190124
- Airframe hours
- 8,547
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sue K. Kushlan
- Registered owner
- Gene M. Kushlan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 27, 2004
- Departed
- DLS · The Dalles, OR
- Destination
- DLS · The Dalles, OR
- Airport
- DLS · Columbia Gorge Regional, runway 070, 4,647 × 150 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 4, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 50 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- DLS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.