- Date
- October 17, 1985, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pullman, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19851017073001A19851017073002A
- Case key
- 40325
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
The pilot of the landing aircraft failed to see and avoid the departing aircraft. The aircraft struck the departing aircrafts vertical stabilizer and rudder with the propeller. Approximately 40% of the vertical stabilizer and rudder separated from the aircraft during the propeller strike.
Before the pilot used the runway at an uncontrolled airport she failed to look for and observe the landing traffic. The aircraft was not equipped with a communications radio. This was the pilot's first takeoff of the day and had planned on making several touch and goes. During takeoff the pilot heard a 'crunch' but was unaware of the landing aircraft's propeller strike which sliced off 40% of the vertical stabilixer and rudder. A normal traffic pattern was flown with a successful landing.
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.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N3231V
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15076431
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Interstate Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PUW · Pullman, WA
- Airport
- PUW · Pullman, runway 23, 6,731 × 100 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.
- Registration
- N4702A
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- A1520872
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Interstate Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PUW · Pullman, WA
- Airport
- PUW · Pullman, runway 23, 6,371 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N3231V
- Age
- 21
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 16 total · 2 as pilot in command
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N4702A
- Age
- 23
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12 total · 12 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PUW
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.