- Date
- March 31, 2013, 17:40 local (Apr 1, 2013, 00:40 UTC)
- Place
- Brush Praire, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4342UCessna 150
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130331004279A
- Case key
- 86553
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 maintain directional control during the landing flare.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that a light and variable wind existed during the landing approach. As the tailwheel-equipped airplane touched down, it pitched up, and the pilot lost directional control of the airplane. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane departed the runway and impacted a fence and a rabbit hutch. Subsequently, both wings struck the ground, which resulted in structural damage to the wing spar, fuselage, and tail section. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that a light and variable wind existed during the landing approach. As the tailwheel-equipped airplane touched down, it pitched up and the pilot lost directional control of the airplane. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane departed the runway and impacted a fence and a rabbit hutch. Subsequently, both wings struck the ground, which resulted in structural damage to the wing spar, fuselage, and tail section. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4342U
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15060342
- Airframe hours
- 5,386
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-EZ2, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Philip Allen
- Registered owner
- Philip Allen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 20, 2012
- Departed
- SPB · Scappoose, OR
- Destination
- 5WA9 · Brush Praire, WA
- Airport
- 5WA9 · Brush Prairie, runway 09, 2,500 × 30 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
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 312 total · 91 in this make and model · 294 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- SPB, 14 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 23, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.