Piper PA-22-135 accident near Eastsound, Washington, March 12, 2021
On March 12, 2021 at about 8:10 pm local time, a 1953 Piper PA-22-135, registered N1224C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Eastsound, Washington (Orcas Island Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a tailwind, which resulted in a landing gear collapse and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2021 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Eastsound, Washington · Orcas Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-135, built 1953 · all PA-22-135s on the register
- Registration
- N1224C · registry record · serial 22-1030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on runway 16, he did not check the windsock and subsequently landed with a tailwind. During the landing roll, the airplane veered, and he was not able to regain control. The right landing gear collapsed, and the right wing was substantially damaged when it contacted the runway surface. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport’s automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 170° at 5 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 6, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2020; 3,979.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-350 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0S9 Port Townsend WA at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,901 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:15 pm from OCS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR21LA132.