Scapoose, OR, USA
N33657
Piper PA-28
While attempting to land in wind conditions that were changing between gusty and steady state, the pilot became convinced that his airspeed was too high. He therefore raised the nose of the aircraft to bleed off airspeed. As the aircraft slowed, the pilot failed to lower the nose in time to stop the deceleration, and the aircraft stall/mushed into the terrain from about 30 feet above the runway.
On March 30, 2001, approximately 1430 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28, N33657, impacted the terrain during an attempted landing at Scapoose Industrial Airport, Scapoose, Oregon. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft, which was owned and operated by Pearson Flying Service, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Pearson Airpark, Vancouver, Washington, about five minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, he was landing in winds that were changing between gusty and steady state. As he approached the runway in the gusty wind conditions, he thought his airspeed had become too fast. He therefore raised the nose in order to slow the aircraft. As the aircraft slowed, the pilot failed to lower the nose in time to arrest its deceleration, and the aircraft stall/mushed into the terrain from an altitude of about 30 feet.
the pilot's failure to maintain a speed above minimum in-flight stall speed (Vs). Factors include gusty winds at the time of the attempted landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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