GEAR UP LNDG ENSUES AFTER A DOWNDRAFT ENCOUNTER IN CLR AIR TURB CREATES 2 PERSONAL INJURIES AT NON TWR ARPT UNICOM.

Date: 1991-08 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear

Anomalies: conflict-ground-conflict|critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-other-unknown|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown|other-unspecified

Synopsis

GEAR UP LNDG ENSUES AFTER A DOWNDRAFT ENCOUNTER IN CLR AIR TURB CREATES 2 PERSONAL INJURIES AT NON TWR ARPT UNICOM.

Narrative

I DEPARTED TOA AT APPROX XA45Z ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO BULLHEAD CITY; AZ. AFTER PASSING HECTOR VOR (HEC) I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A RADAR VECTOR DIRECT TO BULLHEAD CITY; AZ. APPROX 20 MI FROM MY DEST; I WAS CLRED TO DSND TO A LEVEL BELOW RADAR COVERAGE. I CANCELLED THE IFR PLAN AND PROCEEDED VFR TO DEST ARPT. AT APPROX 1800 MSL (1300 AGL) I CROSSED DIRECTLY OVER THE MOHAVE GENERATING STATION; WHICH IS ON A DIRECT LINE TO ENTER A R HAND PATTERN; DOWNWIND LEG; FOR RWY 17. SEVERE AND SUDDEN TURB OVER THE GENERATING STATION CAUSED A DROP OF ABOUT 300 FT. MY PAX AND I; EVEN THOUGH RESTRAINED BY SEAT BELTS; STRUCK THE OVERHEAD OF THE CABIN. I WAS DAZED BUT CONSCIOUS. MY WIFE WAS CUT ON THE TOP OF HER HEAD; AND THE CUT WAS BLEEDING FREELY. I COMPLETED THE DOWNWIND; BASE AND FINAL LEGS OF THE PATTERN EXTENDING FLAPS AS RECOMMENDED; BUT I NEGLECTED TO EXTEND THE LNDG GEAR. MY FIRST REALIZATION OF THIS WAS WHEN THE BELLY OF THE AIRPLANE SCRAPED THE GND. WE SKIDDED IN A STRAIGHT LINE; DEVIATING TO THE R AND OFF THE RWY ONLY AT THE FINAL POS OF THE SKID. THE PLANE CAME TO REST ON THE W SIDE OF THE RWY AND TILTED TO THE R WITH THE STARBOARD WING TIP RESTING ON THE GND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR MADE AN INTERESTING POINT REF THE STACK THAT WAS OVERFLOWN. FIRST OF ALL; HE HADN'T REALIZED THAT THE STACK WAS THAT HIGH AND THAT ONLY 578 FT OF CLRNC EXISTED. HE HAS FLOWN INTO THAT ARPT VERY OFTEN BUT NEVER HAD EXPERIENCED THE DOWN DRAFT/TURB BECAUSE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE WAS A NO WIND SITUATION AND HE BORE THE BRUNT OF THE HEAT/THERMAL ARISING FROM THE STACK. HE SAID THAT HE WILL NEVER OVERFLY THAT STACK AGAIN. HIS WIFE'S HEAD TOOK 4 STITCHES AND HE ALSO FELT THAT THE TRAUMA HE EXPERIENCED KEPT HIM FROM PERFORMING HIS CHKLIST PROPERLY.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.