Boeing E75N1 N65900

Summary

On 21 July 2001 at about 22:47 local time, a Boeing E75N1 registered N65900 was involved in an accident near Spokane, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 July 2001 at 22:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Spokane, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Felts Field (SFF)

Coordinates

47.6495, -117.3105

Aircraft

Boeing E75N1

Registration

N65900

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spokane → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA01LA140

Nobody was injured.

The pilot landed with insufficient formation spacing behind the lead aircraft, resulting in an encounter with the lead aircraft's wake turbulence, and subsequently lost directional control during landing roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he departed in a flight of two for the local flight at an antique biplane show, since his airplane did not have a radio and the airport's control tower was in operation at the time. The pilot stated that on the landing approach, the lead aircraft slowed to allow another aircraft to clear the runway, which decreased the spacing between the two aircraft in the formation. He reported that he was approximately 100 to 150 yards behind the lead aircraft at touchdown on 3,059-foot by 75-foot asphalt runway 21L, which he reported was dry at the time. The pilot reported that the touchdown was normal, "but after a couple hundred feet of ground roll I encountered the wake turbulence of the lead [aircraft]." The pilot stated that he became unable to maintain directional control in the lead aircraft's wake turbulence, with the aircraft "veering left [and] right". The pilot stated that on a veer to the left, the right landing gear failed, and that the right wing then contacted the ground. The pilot indicated on his NTSB accident report that no mechanical failure or malfunction was involved in the accident. The pilot reported winds at the time as being from 160 degrees at 9 knots, and the 1553 Felts Field METAR observation reported winds as variable at 5 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.