OROVILLE, CA, USA
N3376J
Cessna 150G
The landing area is a private dirt strip that is 1,500 feet msl at the approach end (west), 1,700 feet msl at the departure end (east), and approximately 600 feet in length. The pilot set up for a landing to the east and while on approach encountered an unfavorable wind condition that he stated 'dropped the aircraft approximately one foot below his planned approach path.' The aircraft struck rocks at the approach end and traveled another 500 feet before striking another rock and coming to rest. The pilot did not note any mechanical discrepancies with the aircraft.
On April 25, 1998, at 1600 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150G, N3376J, struck a boulder and collapsed the nose landing gear at a private dirt strip near Oroville, California. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the private pilot/owner was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight that originated at the Oroville airport approximately 15 minutes prior to the accident. No flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he overflew the dirt strip approximately 3,700 feet above ground level (agl) and set up for landing on a heading of 090 degrees. He reported that the approach was normal and that the aircraft was "hit with a gust of wind. . .[dropped] 1 foot below my planned approach," and hit rocks at the approach end of the dirt strip. The pilot reported that the aircraft traveled another 500 feet before the nose landing gear struck another rock, and subsequently collapsed the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that the dirt strip is approximately 1,500 feet mean sea level (msl) at the approach end (west), 1,700 feet msl at the departure end (east), and is approximately 600 feet in length. He further reported that there were no mechanical difficulties noted with the aircraft. The accident was reported to the Safety Board on April 30, 1998.
The pilot's failure to maintain the proper glide path, and his inadequate compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in an undershoot.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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