Accident Rockwell Commander 112 N1068J, Saturday 3 June 1989

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Date:	Saturday 3 June 1989
Time:	19:33 LT
Type:	Rockwell Commander 112
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N1068J
MSN:	136
Year of manufacture:	1974
Total airframe hrs:	1750 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-320
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Boulder City, NV - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, WHEN HE WAS FLARING TO LAND ON RWY 3 AT DUSK, A GUST OF WIND BLEW THE ACFT TO THE RIGHT. HE SAID HE APPLIED POWER TO GO AROUND, BUT WAS TOO LOW & SLOW TO REGAIN ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, A WINGTIP CONTACTED THE GROUND, SWINGING THE ACFT AROUND, & IT CRASH LANDED. THE PLT RPRTD THE PREVAILING WIND WAS FROM THE NORTH AT 8 KTS. AUTHORITIES, WHO ARRIVED AFTER THE ACCIDENT, RPRTD THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 15 TO 25 KTS. A POLICE OFFICER, WHO WAS THE 1ST TO ARRIVE, NOTED A STRONG ODOR OF ALCOHOL FROM THE PLT & THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO WALK NORMALLY (WITHOUT STAGGERING), ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT INJURED. OTHER OFFICIALS CORROBORATED THE POLICE OFFICER'S OBSERVATION. THE PLT REFUSED TO TAKE A BREATHALYZER TEST.

Probable Cause: POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING, WHILE IMPAIRED FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING A GO-AROUND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. RELATED FACTORS WERE: LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DUSK, UNFAVORABLE WINDS, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT WHILE LANDING.

Accident investigation: