Amateur-built PZL-104 Wilga 35A accident near Burlington, Washington, March 29, 2004
On March 29, 2004 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built PZL-104 Wilga 35A, registered N65ZA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, Washington (Skagit Regional airport). It was a personal 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 passenger's interference with flight controls during a go-around maneuver. Contributing to the accident were the passenger's anxiety/apprehension, the pilot's inadequate brief to the passenger about potential control interference, and the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2004 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Washington · Skagit Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PZL-104 Wilga 35A
- Registration
- N65ZA · no longer on the register · serial 18830758
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was practicing touch and go landings on runway 10 at the Skagit Regional airport. On the eighth landing the pilot encountered a sudden gust of wind approximately five feet above ground and executed a go around maneuver. He reported that his passenger panicked inadvertently pushing the control stick full forward. The aircraft nosed down steeply to a hard landing impacting the propeller on the runway. The pilot reported that "...better communication & briefing of passenger about go-around may have prevented panic by passenger...." Winds at Arlington Municipal airport, situated 21 nautical miles southeast of Burlington airport, at 1255 on the afternoon of the accident were reported as coming from 120 degrees magnetic at 17 knots with gusts to 20 knots.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 830 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 770 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,866 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pzl-Warszana A1-14R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVS Burlington WA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: BVS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,478 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from NUW, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N65ZA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.