| Crash location | 46.309444°N, 119.306944°W |
| Nearest city | Richland, WA
46.285691°N, 119.284462°W 2.0 miles away |
| Tail number | N6141G |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 26 Aug 2004 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 150K |
| Additional details: | None |
On August 26, 2004, about 1300 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150K, N6141G, registered to and operated by Szen Air LLC, as a 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight, collided with an airport sign during landing at Richland Airport, Richland, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Richland about 30 minutes prior to the accident.
During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the student pilot reported that he had completed practicing maneuvers in the practice area and was returning to the airport for a full stop landing. The student stated that he set-up for a soft field landing to runway 19. During the flare and about two to three feet above the runway, a gust of wind caught the airplane which yawed it to the right approximately 45 to 60 degrees. The airplane then touched down and started "skipping" as it traveled down the runway. The student pilot stated that, "I had not reacted to correct for the exaggerated yaw which is how the airplane probably bounced as it did." The right wingtip then contacted the surface and the pilot applied "a little power for the throttle and tried to gain some altitude." The pilot then heard the tail tie-down ring scrape the runway. The airplane continued to the right and the left horizontal stabilizer collided with a runway marker sign. The aircraft rolled about 100 feet before the student was able to stop the aircraft in the dirt off the right side of the runway.
At 1253, the Pasco Tri-Cities Airport, Pasco, Washington, located eight nautical miles east of Richland, reported the winds from 310 degrees at seven knots. The sky was clear with a temperature of 77 degrees F.
The student pilot reported the weather conditions at Richland as the wind from 200 degrees at 8 to 10 knots with gusts of 11 to 15 knots.
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing. Wind gusts, inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and an airport marker sign were factors.