- Date
- September 13, 1997, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Winlock, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6004Ade Havilland DHC-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970913045429A
- Case key
- 42690
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 failure to attain proper alignment during touchdown and failure to maintain directional control. A wet runway was a factor.
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 reported that while on final approach the airplane was too high. The pilot slipped the airplane to reduce altitude and held that attitude until a few feet above the runway and at the point of flare. The pilot stated that the airplane continued to descend in the flare and touched down still in the slip attitude. The airplane bounced and the pilot added power. The airplane was pointed to the right of runway heading and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control as the airplane traveled off the runway into the wet grass. The pilot reduced the power and applied heavy breaking action, however, the airplane continued and collided with a hangar.
Factual narrative
On September 13, 1997, at 1600 Pacific daylight time, a DeHavilland DHC-1, N6004A, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with a hangar after the pilot was unable to maintain directional control during the landing roll at a private airstrip near Winlock, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured. The flight had departed from another private airstrip near Napavine, Washington, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that while on final approach, the airplane's altitude was high. The pilot stated that she slipped the airplane to reduce altitude. The slip was held until a few feet of touchdown and at the point of flaring the airplane. The pilot stated that during the flare, the airplane continued to descend and was still in a slip attitude at touchdown. After the airplane touched down, it bounced. The pilot stated that she added power, however, the airplane was pointed to the right of runway heading and she was unable to maintain directional control. The power was reduced and the pilot applied heavy braking action. The airplane continued to travel off the runway, in the wet grass, and collided with a hangar.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6004A
- Reported as
- de Havilland DHC-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- C1-0509
- Airframe hours
- 7,800
- Engine
- Bristol GIPSY, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Maralyn G. Tuckness
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 1997 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- Napavine, WA
- Airport
- Pilots Pasture, runway 27, 2,200 × 90 ft, grass/turf
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 544 total · 378 in this make and model · 501 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KLS, 23 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.