DEER PARK, WA, USA
N40191
STINSON 108-2
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS CIRCLING THE PASSENGER'S HOUSE AT ABOUT 800 FT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO RESTART, AND ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING TO THE 1,300-FT AIRSTRIP IN THE PASSENGER'S FIELD. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE PILOT TRIED TO DO A FORCED WHEEL-LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE THRESHOLD BETWEEN 70 TO 80 MPH, AND MOMENTARILY TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN GEAR ABOUT 200 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BOUNCED ABOUT 30 FEET INTO THE AIR, AND CAME DOWN HARD ON THE MAIN GEAR ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, COLLAPSING THE MAIN GEAR. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ALWAYS MAKES FULL-STALL LANDINGS IN THE STINSON, AND DOES NOT FEEL THAT HE IS PROFICIENT AT WHEEL-LANDINGS. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRECRASH DISCREPANCIES.
On July 28, 1995, approximately 1230 Pacific daylight time, a Stinson 108-2, N40191, landed hard during an attempted forced landing at a private airstrip near Deer Park, Washington. The commercial pilot and his passenger received serious injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The personal pleasure flight, which departed Bozeman, Montana, about three hours earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The aircraft was on a VFR flight plan, and the ELT, which was activated by the impact, was turned off at the scene. According to the pilot, he was circling his passenger's house at about 800 feet when he attempted to add power, but the engine did not respond. He said he went through an emergency checklist, but could not get the engine to restart, and therefore elected to put the aircraft down on the airstrip in the passenger's field. He said he could not recall the touchdown or the events thereafter. In a phone interview with the NTSB, the passenger stated that while circling his property, they made one pass about 100 to 150 feet over the runway to notify his wife that they were in the area and would need pickup at a nearby airport. Then they made a left pattern and turned final to make a second low pass over the runway. The passenger stated that while on final, the pilot commented that they had a problem, then attempted to add power, and the engine gave no response. He stated that the pilot then tried to do a forced wheel-landing on the 1,300 foot airstrip. He said that the aircraft crossed the airstrip threshold at an airspeed between 70 and 80 mph, and momentarily touched down on the main gear about 200 feet down the runway. The aircraft then bounced about 30 feet into the air, entered a left bank, and came down hard on the main gear about half way down the runway. At that time, the landing gear collapsed as a result of the hard impact. The aircraft then slid off the runway and into a field. At the point of the initial touchdown there was approximately 1,100 feet remaining in which to stop the aircraft. According to the passenger, after the aircraft bounced back into the air, the pilot attempted the second touchdown on the main gear and did not attempt to transition to a full-stall touchdown. In a second telephone conversation, the passenger's comments about the attempted wheel-landing were relayed to the pilot. At that time he stated that he always makes full-stall landings in the Stinson, and does not feel that he is proficient at wheel- landings. The wreckage and engine were examined by FAA inspectors after the accident, and no discrepancies attributable to pre-crash mechanical problems were found. In excess of ten gallons of fuel was drained from the aircraft.
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF PROFICIENCY IN WHEEL-LANDINGS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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