May Have Been Last Monocoach Flying

William Piper spent a decade meticulously restoring a 1929 Monocoach (file photo of type, below) to flying condition. It was, safe to say, his pride and joy.

So imagine his angst when, on his way from Coeur d'Alene (ID) to a vintage air show in McMinnville (OR), the 74-year old pilot discovered a bolt holding the landing gear together had somehow fallen off the aircraft.

Piper and his 72-year old copilot, Marv Vanderpool, were landing at the Moscow-Pullman Regional Airport in Pullman (WA) when they discovered the problem. They circled the field for awhile, burning off fuel, then set down on a grassy area next to the runway.

The two men walked away without serious injury, but the aircraft didn't fare so well. A spokesman for the airport said it sustained about $15,000 damage. Piper says he'll haul his aircraft away by trailer and make his repairs.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 11872    Make/Model: MONO   Description: 1929 MONOCOACH
 Date: 08/17/2004   Time: 1635

 Event Type: Accident  Highest Injury: None   Mid Air: N  Missing: N
 Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
 City: PULLMAN           State: WA  Country: US

DESCRIPTION
 ACFT ON LANDING, GEAR COLLAPSED, PULLMAN-MOSCOW AIRPORT, PULLMAN, WA

INJURY DATA   Total Fatal:  0
         # Crew:  1  Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Pass:   0  Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Grnd:       Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 

WEATHER: METAR PUW 171553Z AUTO 28007KT 10SM CLR 22/16               
                                          
OTHER DATA
 Activity: Pleasure   Phase: Landing   Operation: General Aviation

 Departed: PORTHILL, ID        Dep Date: 08/17/2004  Dep. Time: 1445
 Destination: MCMINNVILLE, OR     Flt Plan: UNK     Wx Briefing: U
 Last Radio Cont: UNK
 Last Clearance: UNK

 FAA FSDO: SPOKANE, WA (NM13)          Entry date: 08/18/2004

FMI: www.ci.pullman.wa.us/Airport.htm