According to an article in a California newspaper, the Modesto Bee, a pilot attempting to land at the Columbia airport had some problems with a crosswind which resulted in a rough landing. The landing was rough because it included a 15 foot bounce and a collision with three parked aircraft. Fortunately, the pilot only suffered minor injuries and her passenger was uninjured. Unfortunately for the pilot, I would expect that she will receive a Request for Re-examination from the FAA. Also called the “709 ride”, the re-examination will likely require that the pilot demonstrate to an FAA inspector her ability to successfully handle crosswind, and perhaps regular, landings. For more information on what to expect in a 709 ride, please read my article “The 709 Ride”.
The pilot can also expect claims against her by the owners of the aircraft with which she collided. Those aircraft owners will want to recover the damage to their aircraft and, possibly, damage for the loss of use of their aircraft. Hopefully, the pilot and all aircraft were insured.
