SEA99LA086

The flight instructor reported that while on final approach and approximately 30 feet above the runway, with the student pilot at the controls, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right side of the runway edge. The flight instructor took over control of the airplane and initiated a go-around, when another gust of wind hit the airplane. The right wing tipped up and the left wing contacted the ground. The right wing then dipped down and also contacted the ground. The airplane then nosed down and came to rest next to the runway. The flight instructor reported that later he remembered that while on final approach, the wind sock on the south end of the runway was indicating the wind from 170 degrees to 190 degrees, with a wind velocity of 18 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The wind sock on the approach end however, was limp.

On June 15, 1999, at 1250 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N9349U, registered to a private owner and operated by Alpha Aviation as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, collided with the ground during an attempted go-around at Bellingham International Airport, Bellingham, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The flight had departed from Bellingham about one hour prior to the accident.

During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the flight instructor reported that the student was practicing touch-and-go landings. The flight instructor stated that while on short final to runway 16, in gusting wind conditions, the student had the airplane lined up with the runway centerline. As the airplane descended to about 30 feet above the runway, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right side of the runway edge. The flight instructor stated that he took control of the airplane and initiated a go-around, when another gust of wind hit the airplane. The right wing tipped up and the left wing contacted the ground. The right wing then dipped down and also contacted the ground. The airplane then nosed down and came to rest next to the runway.

In the written statement, the flight instructor stated that later he remembered that while on final approach, the wind sock on the south end of the runway was indicating the wind from 170 degrees to 190 degrees, with a wind velocity of 18 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The wind sock on the approach end however, was limp. The flight instructor felt that there might have been conditions indicative of wind shear.

At 1253, the Bellingham Airport weather reporting facility was reporting the wind from 190 degrees at ten knots.