SEA99LA009

On October 23, 1998, approximately 1700 mountain daylight time, a Pitts S-1, N144JS, registered to and being flown by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a loss of control on landing at the McCall airport, McCall, Idaho. The pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from McCall approximately 1610.

The pilot, interviewed by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration's Boise Flight Standards District office, reported that he taxied out and departed on runway 34 after determining it was clear, flew a short while and then returned to land. He further reported to the inspector that "on downwind to 34 he saw the large white X on the runway. He did a fly-by to evaluate the runway/taxiway and vacillated on weather [sic] to land on the runway or taxiway. There was no wind and weather was not a factor. He elected to land on the taxiway headed toward the north. As he approached and began the flair [sic] he lost sight over the nose of the aircraft and transitioned to looking out the left side (this is normal operation of a Pitts). All he could see was the grass of the infield, not having the edge of the taxiway to follow he feels this is why he lost directional control. He stated he bounced on landing, further complicating the situation. The right wheel went off the taxiway and the aircraft veered right and went into the drainage ditch ending up on its nose." (Refer to ATTACHMENT FAA-I).

The pilot provided a schematic showing where he touched down on the taxiway. This schematic showed the touchdown point approximately 500 feet north of the south end of the parallel taxiway (refer to DIAGRAM I). The pilot also reported on NTSB Form 6120.1/2 that the aircraft suffered no mechanical malfunction or failure at the time of the accident.

According to the current US Government Flight Information Publication, the McCall airport is equipped with a single north/south asphalt runway (16/34) which measures 6,126 feet in length and 75 feet in width. A single, parallel asphalt taxiway of about the same length and 50 feet in width exists slightly east of the runway.

The airport manager reported that he had "NOTAM-ed the runway closed Oct. 20th (refer to ATTACHMENT N-I) and advised pilots to operate on the parallel taxiway (which had been marked as a runway in its own right prior to this summer) as long as they did not require more than 4,962 feet of runway. There is a hump in the pavement at an exit taxiway intersection 1,200 feet from the south end (refer to DIAGRAM I), so I had placed temporary displaced threshold markings in the grass next to the parallel taxiway and advised pilots to land north of that point" (refer to ATTACHMENT AM-I and ATTACHMENT AM-II).

In a telephone conversation with the Fixed Based Operator (FBO), he reported that frequent miscommunications existed during the construction phase between the FBO (UNICOM operator) and airport management. This resulted in the FBO occasionally providing contradictory information as to the availability of runway 16/34 versus the parallel taxiway for operations. Additionally, he reported that the displacement at the south end of the parallel taxiway was poorly marked. This marking consisted of plywood which had not been painted in a conspicuous color and was placed in the grass alongside the taxiway at the intended displacement location.