Cessna 150J N50464 and Piper PA-28-180 N5101L accident near Sequim, Washington

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper approach path and his delayed corrective actions, which resulted in an undershoot. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction from other aircraft in the area.

NTSB analysis

As the airplane approached the uncontrolled airport for landing, the pilot became distracted by two other airplanes in the traffic pattern and by a third airplane that entered the pattern in front of him. This resulted in the pilot extending the downwind leg of his traffic pattern and maintaining traffic pattern altitude until the final approach. A fourth airplane was in the run-up area preparing to depart, which the landing pilot also noted. As the pilot turned onto the final approach, he descended with full flaps. Just before the airplane touched down, the pilot observed that the airplane was low and slow, and he increased engine power. The airplane subsequently collided with upsloping terrain short of the runway, and then veered into the airplane that was standing in the run-up area.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR10LA427 for the full record.