No fatalities

4 Aug 2013: CESSNA 182P (N58437) — Stanwood, WA

Stanwood, WA, United States

On 4 Aug 2013, a CESSNA 182P (registration N58437) was involved in an aviation accident near Stanwood, WA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s unstabilized approach and his subsequent failure to maintain airspeed during the aborted landing, which resulted in a stall and the airplane bouncing hard on the runway. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

On August 4, 2013, a Cessna 182P touched down hard, bounced, and the pilot aborted landing. The airplane stalled and collided with terrain near Stanwood, Washington. The private pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries.

History of Flight

On August 04, 2013, about 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182P, N58437, collided with terrain shortly after the pilot aborted the landing at Camano Island Airfield, Stanwood, Washington. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under Part 91. The private pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Boeing Field/King County International Airport, Seattle, Washington, about 1100 with a planned destination of Stanwood. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; the pilot had filed a VFR flight plan.

Several witnesses observed the accident. They stated that the airplane was landing on runway 16, which slopes upward at the first section. The airplane touched down hard after the mid-field area and bounced. The pilot then appeared to add full engine power to abort the landing. The airplane climbed about 40 to 50 feet, stalled, and descended into terrain.

The pilot stated that as he approached the airport, he observed the windsock indicating a light crosswind for runway 16. He maneuvered the airplane in a standard right-traffic pattern. On final approach, he extended the flaps fully while reducing engine power. To ensure clearance from trees at the north end of the runway, he temporarily added power. While descending, the stall warning sounded intermittently, then continuously. The airplane stalled and bounced hard on the runway. The pilot opted to abort the landing and applied full power. The engine hesitated and he began to retract the flaps. The airplane lurched airborne as engine power increased, and the pilot could not maneuver the nose down before the airplane again stalled. The airplane bounced hard and rolled onto its side.

In the recommendation section of the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented with a better short-field landing procedure to eliminate the bounce. He thought that because the airplane was loaded with a forward center of gravity, a short-field landing was inadvisable due to increased chance of a power-on stall during a go-around. He noted he had not practiced short-field landings in over 10 months and should have considered a different destination.

Personnel Information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument flight. His third-class medical certificate was issued April 2009 with no limitations. He reported 270 hours total flight time, with 100 hours in Cessna 182 airplanes. In the preceding 90 days, 30 days, and 24 hours, he flew as pilot-in-command approximately 46, 15, and 0 hours, respectively. He had purchased the airplane about one year before the accident and had been to the airport on past flights.

Aircraft Information

The aircraft was a Cessna 182P, registration N58437.

Weather and Airport Information

Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Runway 16 at Camano Island Airfield slopes upward at the first section. The pilot observed a light crosswind.

Contributing factors

Related operating infoIncorrect use/operationAngle of attack — Not attained/maintainedPilot