- Date
- May 25, 1996, 12:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Pacific City, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N239CPPowers Bede BD-4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960525019959A
- Case key
- 42369
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 pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the landing flare, and his failure to maintain runway alignment, which resulted in an encounter with tall grass beside the intended landing area. Factors relating to the accident were: the unfavorable wind conditions (crosswind and gusts), and tall grass (high vegetation) beside the runway.
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
The pilot stated that just before touchdown on runway 32, 'a sudden and quite strong gust blew the aircraft to the left enough that the left main gear on touching down was in soft ground to the left of the asphalt runway. Left wing and main gear then caught in tall grass.' The airplane spun around in the tall grass, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane was substantially damaged. No preimpact mechanical malfunction was reported.
Factual narrative
On May 25, 1996, about 1215 Pacific daylight time, N239CP, a home built Powers Bede BD-4 airplane, operated by the owner/pilot, collided with terrain during landing rollout and was substantially damaged in Pacific City, Oregon. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight departed from Independence, Oregon, and was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot stated that just prior to touchdown on runway 32 at the Pacific City Airport, "a sudden and quite strong gust blew the aircraft to the left enough that the left main gear on touching down was in soft ground to the left of the asphalt runway. Left wing and main gear then caught in tall grass." The airplane spun around in the tall grass, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane was substantially damaged. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N239CP
- Reported as
- Powers Bede BD-4
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Airframe hours
- 1,242
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Clappison, Gordon B.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 1995 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- 7S5 · Independence, OR
- Destination
- PFC
- Airport
- PFC · Pacific City State, runway 32, 1,875 × 30 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
- 70
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,450 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,335 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 11 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ONP, 90 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.