Piper PA-34-200 accident near Bellingham, Washington, December 20, 1998
On December 20, 1998, a Piper PA-34-200, registered CGHFD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bellingham, Washington (Bellingham airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing due to the pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate. Factors include gusts and turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 1998
- Place
- Bellingham, Washington · Bellingham
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- CGHFD · no longer on the register · serial 32-7350210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot noted that he was on approach to the runway and about 30' to 50' above ground when he encountered a wind shear downdraft so severe that all loose things in the cockpit flew up to the ceiling. He believed that he must have been crabbing at the time of touchdown, and the side forces at the time of the landing broke the right main landing gear above the wheel/axle casting. The airplane sustained buckling of the right wing and buckling at the rear of the cabin. Control tower personnel who observed the landing characterized it as a very hard landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, however winds were at 30 knots, gusting to 41 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,400 hours in all; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 5,241 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,359 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1998; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CYEW Chilliwak
- Destination: KBLI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 6,751 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 30 knots, gusting 41
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.