Piper PA-28-181 accident near Tekoa, Washington, July 13, 2001
On July 13, 2001 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N4920F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tekoa, Washington (Willard Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-current pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance with wheat crops on short final, and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action. Factors included wheat crops and a dirt bank on short final, the runway's lack of a visual approach slope indicator installation, and a visual illusion (wheat crop matched background color) that impaired both pilots' ability to visually detect the wheat crops.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2001 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tekoa, Washington · Willard Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N4920F · no longer on the register · serial 28-7790073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-current pilot, who was undergoing a 14 CFR 61.56 flight review with a flight instructor, was practicing a short field landing. According to airport data at the Internet site www.airnav.com, a 4-foot terrain rise is located 80 feet from the end of the runway. The pilots stated that this rise had a heavy growth of wheat about 3 to 4 feet tall at the time. The trainee pilot stated that the wheat at that time "was a solid dark green which gave no depth perception", which he stated "in essence created an invisible...wall" on short final. While on short final, the aircraft contacted the wheat, causing a rapid deceleration and loss of altitude (the flight instructor stated that once he noticed the terrain rise, he was unable to get on the controls before the aircraft contacted the wheat.) The airplane subsequently struck an approximately 2-foot-high bank along a dirt road approximately 40 feet from the end of the runway. As the aircraft crossed over this bank, all three wheels caught on the bank and sheared off. The aircraft then came down on the runway and slid down the runway for about 250 to 300 feet. According to the U.S. Government Airport/Facility Directory, the runway has a yellow centerline marking only, and the markings are very faded. The runway does not have a displaced threshold or visual approach slope indicator (VASI), and the U.S. Government Airport/Facility Directory lists obstructions for the runway as a powerline.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 653 hours in all
- Last flight review: June 15, 1996
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,500 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,453 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 2000; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Unknown
- Destination: 73S Tekoa WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,261 ft by 25 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.