- Date
- December 19, 1998, 16:50 local (Dec 20, 1998, 00:50 UTC)
- Place
- Bellingham, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- CGHFDPiper PA-34-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 45498
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
A hard landing due to the pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate. Factors include gusts and turbulence.
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 noted that he was on approach to the runway and about 30' to 50' above ground when he encountered a wind shear downdraft so severe that all loose things in the cockpit flew up to the ceiling. He believed that he must have been crabbing at the time of touchdown, and the side forces at the time of the landing broke the right main landing gear above the wheel/axle casting. The airplane sustained buckling of the right wing and buckling at the rear of the cabin. Control tower personnel who observed the landing characterized it as a very hard landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, however winds were at 30 knots, gusting to 41 knots.
Factual narrative
On December 19, 1998, at 1650 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-34, CGHFD, sustained substantial damage during landing on runway 34 at Bellingham, Washington. The pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, however winds were at 30 knots, gusting to 41 knots. There was no fire, and no report of an ELT actuating.
The pilot stated to FAA inspectors that the aircraft encountered severe low-level wind shear on arrival and landed sideways. In a written statement, he noted that he "was on approach to the runway and about 30' to 50' above ground when he encountered a wind shear downdraft of major proportions, so severe that all loose things in the cockpit flew up to the ceiling...." The pilot believed that he must have been crabbing and the side forces at the time of the landing broke the right main landing gear above the wheel/axle casting. The airplane sustained buckling of the right wing and buckling at the rear of the cabin.
Bellingham ATC tower controllers noted that they observed the airplane make a very hard landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CGHFD
- Reported as
- Piper PA-34-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7350210
- Airframe hours
- 4,359
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1E6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Peter Garrison
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 14, 1998 · 76 hours before
- Departed
- CYEW · Chilliwak
- Destination
- KBLI
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KBLI · Bellingham, runway 34, 6,751 × ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 73
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,400 total · 5,241 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 30 knots, gusting 41
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 19 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KBL