Columbia Airport, Columbia, California

Airport Location:  The Columbia Airport is located 1 mile south west of Columbia, California.

Airport History:

Columbia Airport Today:  Obstructions reported; Mountians; Air tanker activity during fire season; Intensive flight training; Helicopter operations; Ultralights;



Airport Services & Amenities:  Aero Resources, LLC; Bald Eagle Aviation; Courtney Aviation; Mountian Aire Aviation; Sierra Upholstery; Springfield Flying Service; Helipads; Food and lodging nearby; Shuttle bus; Taxis; Rental cars available;

Special Events and Attractions: Caving; Columbia State Park; Gold mining; Gold Rush Town; River Rafting; Skiing; Theatre; Horseback Riding; House boating;

Airport Area Accident History:

On June 11, 2009, about 1222 Pacific daylight time, a Bellanca 14-19 airplane, N6561N, sustained substantial damage when the left main landing gear collapsed on touchdown at the Columbia Airport, Columbia, California. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight that departed from Jean, Nevada, at 1010.

As the flight approached Columbia Airport, the pilot listened to the airport's automated weather observing system, and according to the pilot, the wind was reported as light and variable. Before landing on runway 17, the pilot confirmed the wind conditions by observing the airport's windsock and tetrahedron. After what the pilot described as a normal "three point landing, aligned with the runway without lateral drift, slightly left of centerline," the airplane suddenly veered to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and right brake with no discernible effect. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane continued to the left, exited the runway, and came to a stop in a grassy area.

Examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed structural damage to the left wing, aileron, and flap. The left main landing gear drag link had separated at the junction of the upper and lower drag links, and the landing gear strut had folded forward. The drag link appeared to be the original part installed during manufacture of the airplane in 1950.

The separated pieces of the left main landing gear drag link were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination. Examination of the fracture surfaces revealed that a portion of surface was dark in color and covered with a well-developed corrosion-product film consistent with an older overstress fracture that occurred prior to the accident. The majority of the fracture surfaces did not display corrosion product and were consistent in appearance with newly created overstress fractures.

The pilot reported that a visual inspection of the landing gear and a gear retraction test were performed during the airplane's most recent annual inspection on May 10, 2009. No discrepancies were found. When the accident occurred, the airplane had accumulated 41 flight hours since this annual inspection.

Recorded data from Columbia Airport's automated weather observing system indicated that at 1222, the wind was from 200 degrees at 5 knots.
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Accident occurred Saturday, September 13, 2008 in Columbia, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/10/2008
Aircraft: CESSNA 152, registration: N24342
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
The student pilot was on a solo cross-country flight and was landing at his planned destination. During the landing flare, he added engine power to help arrest the rate of descent, but after making a smooth successful touchdown, he forgot to reduce the engine power back to idle. With significantly greater than idle power being produced by the engine, the pilot lost directional control during his attempt to slow the airplane. The airplane veered off the runway and impacted a wall of boulders that had been erected as a barrier.
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Accident occurred Tuesday, April 15, 2008 in Columbia, CA
Aircraft: Cessna 150L, registration: N1364Q
Injuries: 2 Uninjured. This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. On April 15, 2008, about 1600 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N1364Q, impacted terrain following a loss of control during the takeoff initial climb from runway 29 at Columbia Airport, Columbia, California. The flight instructor and the student pilot were not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to, and being operated by, the student pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which was originating when the accident occurred. According to the flight instructor, this was to be a "test flight" of the airplane, which had just been purchased by the student pilot, before they flew it home to Idaho. The winds were from 290 degrees at 10 to 15 knots so he elected to use runway 29, a 2,600-foot-long turf runway. The flight instructor made a short field takeoff using 10 degrees of flaps and rotating at 55 mph. The airplane did not perform as expected and was not accelerating and climbing normally. The terrain was sloping up and there were trees and power lines ahead, so the instructor turned left to avoid the obstacles. The airspeed was "too slow," and the airplane stalled and impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. ===
Accident occurred Saturday, May 20, 2006 in Columbia, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 8/29/2006
Aircraft: Cessna A185F, registration: N5468E
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
The tail wheel equipped airplane ground looped on landing. The Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) reported that the wind was 170 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot entered the pattern at 45 degrees to the right downwind for runway 17. He said he could not see the windsock on final approach, but the stability of the airplane confirmed the weather report. He executed a three-point full stall landing. Immediately upon touchdown, the airplane's tail swung to the left. He applied full left rudder to regain directional control, but the airplane did not respond. The airplane turned 90 degrees to the right, began skidding on the left main gear, and tilted to the left. The left wing and horizontal tail surfaces made contact with the runway and the airplane came to rest after completing a 180-degree turn. The windsock at midfield indicated a 90-degree right crosswind at approximately 10 knots. The Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) entry for Columbia Airport states, "varying wind direction and velocity may be encountered at midpoint of runway 17-35 due to terrain features and wind flow patterns." The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout. ===
Accident occurred Wednesday, May 03, 2006 in Columbia, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 8/29/2006
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-181, registration: N441MA
Injuries: 1 Minor.
The airplane veered off the runway surface and collided with terrain. The pilot completed a normal approach and touched down on the runway surface. After a short ground roll the left wing lifted and the airplane began to veer from the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to rectify the heading deviation with use of the aileron and rudder controls. Despite his attempts, the airplane departed the right side of the runway, coming to rest in a ditch. The pilot estimated the winds to be from 160 degrees at 8 knots. An airplane mechanic inspected the wreckage after the accident. He noted no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. ===
Accident occurred Monday, May 31, 2004 in Columbia, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 3/26/2007
Aircraft: Piper PA-28R-180, registration: N7626J
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
The airplane descended to ground impact in the takeoff initial climb. On the takeoff roll and initial climb from a 4,670-foot runway, witnesses heard the engine sputtering, missing, and backfiring. An additional witness on the airport reported that his attention was drawn to the runway by "snap" and "pop" sounds from the engine. When he looked toward the noise, he saw the accident airplane about midfield. It sounded to him as if the engine were running lean. The airplane lifted off the ground and appeared to climb out slowly. He then heard the engine "snap" and "pop" again, which occurred a couple of times with about 2 to 3 seconds between each cycle. The abnormal engine sounds stopped, and the airplane climbed for an additional 5 seconds before the nose pitched up about 10 degrees. The witness then saw the airplane develop a high sink rate with an increasing nose up pitch attitude. Witnesses said the airplane remained in a nose high, wings level attitude until just before it dropped behind a tree line when the right wing dropped and the airplane hit the ground. The witness estimated the airplane traveled about 3/4 down the runway where it reached its highest altitude of 50 feet above the ground. A post impact fire ensued and the cockpit and engine were thermally damaged. An airframe and engine inspection and teardown were conducted with no preimpact mechanical anomalies noted that would have precluded normal operation. Investigators were able to establish that the owner (a private pilot) was seated in the right seat, and the commercial pilot was seated in the left seat. Investigators were not able to determine who was manipulating the controls at the time of the accident. The toxicology results for the commercial pilot showed levels of marihuana in the pilot's blood that indicated recent use, likely within the 8 hours prior to the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The loss of engine power for undetermined reason during takeoff-initial climb, and the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid a stall/mush. Factors associated with the accident are an inadvertent stall/mush, and the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff. ===
Accident occurred Monday, August 25, 2003 in Columbia, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/25/2003
Aircraft: Hughes 269C, registration: N58363
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
The helicopter collided with terrain during a practice autorotative landing in a open field. The CFI was preparing the student for his commercial helicopter add-on rating. During the fourth autorotation landing attempt, the student held the landing flare too long and too low to the ground. The CFI felt the tail rotor strike the ground. He then came on to the controls and landed the helicopter after it had yawed 180 degrees. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: the student pilot's improper execution of the autorotation. Also causal, was the CFI's delayed remedial action and supervision of the flight. ===
Accident occurred Sunday, June 09, 2002 in Columbia, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/25/2003
Aircraft: Cessna 180, registration: N2228C
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
The plane encountered a wind disturbance resulting in a ground loop and the airplane coming to rest inverted. While on the landing roll the gust caught the left wing and tail, lifting it off the ground. The tail continued to lift until the prop struck the ground, and flipped the airplane over. The pilot stated the AWOS reported the winds to be 290 at 8 knots gusting to 15 knots. The airport has two runways, and are on a magnetic heading of 170-350 and 110-290. Runway 11-29 is 2,600 feet long and 100 feet wide, and is turf. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot encountered a crosswind gust during the landing roll, resulting in a ground loop and nose over. ===
Accident occurred Friday, May 26, 2000 in COLUMBIA, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/17/2001
Aircraft: Beech F33A, registration: N2RM
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane depart on runway 17. It became airborne about midfield, and flew nose high 10/20 feet above the 4,667-foot-long runway. Engine power was reduced, then reapplied, and the airplane crossed the runway end about 20 feet agl with the landing gear extended. The airplane collided with trees about 1,300 feet beyond the runway end. A postaccident fire erupted upon impact. One pilot witness reported the wind to be 290 degrees at 14 knots and a reported density altitude of 3,900 feet. The engine was shipped to the manufacturer for examination. According to the report, "this engine exhibits normal operational signatures throughout, except for the extensive fire and impact damages. All internal components appeared well lubricated. This engine did not exhibit any condition that would have caused an operational problem. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot's failure to abort the downwind takeoff and his failure to attain flying speed.
 
Airport Approach / Landing: