Friday, September 27, 2019

Piper PA-34 Seneca: Incident occurred September 26, 2019 in Bellingham, Washington

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Seattle

Aircraft left gear collapsed during landing.

Date: 26-SEP-19
Time: 19:15:00Z
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: 34
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: BELLINGHAM
State: WASHINGTON

Loss of Control in Flight: Piper J3C-65, N33463; accident occurred September 26, 2019 at Hunt Field Airport (KLND), Lander, Fremont County, Wyoming

View of right wing damage.
Federal Aviation Administration

View of fuselage damage.
Federal Aviation Administration


Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado 

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms


https://registry.faa.gov/N33463

Location: Lander, WY
Accident Number: GAA19CA575
Date & Time: 09/26/2019, 1450 MDT
Registration: N33463
Aircraft: Piper J3C
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff in ground effect, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the left and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane drifted right, the main landing gear impacted a fence parallel to the runway, and the airplane nosed over.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage and both wings.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 18 knots, gusting to 28 knots. The airplane was departing from runway 04.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 65, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Rear
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 02/20/2019
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/23/2018
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 3475 hours (Total, all aircraft), 60 hours (Total, this make and model), 3406 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 44 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 18 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N33463
Model/Series: J3C 65
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1940
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 5973
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/19/2019, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1100 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 4640.26 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: C-85-8FJ
Registered Owner: Lander Skymaster Llc
Rated Power: 85 hp
Operator: Lander Skymaster Llc
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KLND, 5558 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 2053 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 98°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:None 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 18 knots / 28 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 280°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.76 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / -3°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Lander, WY (LND)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Lander, WY (LND)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1448 MDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Hunt Field (LND)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 5588 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 04
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5000 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 42.815278, -108.728611 (est)

Loss of Control in Flight: de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver MK 1, N67112; accident occurred September 20, 2019 on Isaac Lake at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport (PAOT), Kotzebue, Alaska

View of damage to fuselage and float attachment point. 
Federal Aviation Administration



Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Juneau, Alaska

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

https://registry.faa.gov/N67112

Location: Kotzebue, AK
Accident Number: GAA19CA562
Date & Time: 09/20/2019, 1445 AKD
Registration: N67112
Aircraft: De Havilland BEAVER DHC 2 MK.1
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Other Work Use 

The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff from a lake, after the floats came up on the step, the right float struck a submerged bog or tundra which resulted in a brief deceleration of speed. After the float cleared the submerged bog, the airplane accelerated again, but the airspeed was not sufficient for liftoff, so the pilot aborted the takeoff. As the airplane approached rocks at the north edge of the lake, he steered the airplane to the right onto a mud embankment and slid to a stop short of the adjacent airport taxiway.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor; Commercial; Private
Age: 56, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/18/2019
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/17/2019
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 20000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1500 hours (Total, this make and model), 19500 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 130 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 98 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 6 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: De Havilland
Registration: N67112
Model/Series: BEAVER DHC 2 MK.1 No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1955
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 1046
Landing Gear Type: Float
Seats:5 
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/23/2019, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 5370 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 12379.5 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Prat & Whitney
ELT: C91 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: R-985
Registered Owner: Arctic Air LLC
Rated Power: 450 hp
Operator: Arctic Air LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: On-demand Air Taxi (135) 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PAOT, 16 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 2300 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 218°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 4000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 3 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 260°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.49 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 6°C / 2°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Kotzebue, AK (OTZ)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Destination:
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time:
Type of Airspace: Class E

Airport Information

Airport: Ralph Wien Memorial (OTZ)
Runway Surface Type: Unknown
Airport Elevation: 15 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Water--calm
Runway Used: 36
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3876 ft / 90 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 66.884722, -162.598056 (est)