- Date
- October 18, 2020, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Moses Lake, WA ·
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9600JAviat A1
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 102167
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 clearance from telephone wires while on final approach for landing which resulted in a collision.
Findings · 3
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 while on final approach for landing, the airplane struck telephone wires. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to the ground and shortly after touchdown, the airplane nosed over. The right-wing lift strut and rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9600J
- Reported as
- Aviat A1 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1118
- Built
- 1989
- Engine
- Lycoming, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael G Harris
- Airworthiness certificate
- Unknown
- Airport
- W20 · Moses Lake Municipal Airport, runway 16, 2,513 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 20 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KMWH, 5 nm away
- METAR
- KMWH 182052Z 00000KT 10SM BKN070 16/05 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP139 T01610050 56004
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 309 KB in all.