| Crash location | 47.086944°N, 122.431389°W |
| Nearest city | Spanaway, WA
47.103988°N, 122.434566°W 1.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N3571V |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 06 Dec 2004 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 140 |
| Additional details: | None |
On December 6, 2004, approximately 1550 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 140 airplane, N3571V, struck a fence during landing at Spanaway Airport, Spanaway, Washington. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The airplane, which was registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from Pierce County Airport, Puyallup, Washington, about 1530 with an intended destination of Spanaway.
According to FAA inspectors who responded to the scene of the accident, during final approach to land on runway 16, the airplane hit a barbed wire fence located about 30 feet from the threshold. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted on the runway. The rudder, vertical stabilizer, and the left wing strut were damaged.
A deputy with the Pierce Country Sheriff Department, who responded to the scene of the accident, noted an odor of alcohol coming from the pilot. With the pilot's permission, another deputy took a blood sample, which was submitted for alcohol testing. The test result was a blood alcohol content of 0.08 g/100mL.
A review of the pilot's FAA medical file revealed that his application for a medical certificate dated April 18, 2003, was denied. The application was denied due, in part, to alcohol dependence.
The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude during final approach to land which resulted in an undershoot and in flight collision with a fence. A factor was the pilot's alcohol impairment.