19970518015889A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172M · Galion, OH · May 18, 1997

Date: May 18, 1997 · 12:45 local
Place: Galion, OH
Airport: Galion Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4430R
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC97LA096
Reported as: Cessna 172M
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,556 total1,293 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N4430RRegistered now · Cessna 172MS/N 17263175 · Built 1974 Airframe modelCessna 172M Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The inadvertent encounter with the helicopter main rotor downwash during the initial takeoff climb. Subsequently, the airplane descended and impacted the ground. (-23) N4430R, a Cessna 172M, departed runway 23 into the wake turbulance generated by a hevy helicopter crossing runway 23. After gaining 50 AGL, aircraft descended, made nose gear hard landing and ran off the left side of the runway collapsing the nose gear. Firewall has substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR DOWNWASH DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. (-23) N4430R, A CESSNA 172M, DEPARTED RUNWAY 23 INTO THE WAKE TURBULANCE GENERATED BY A HEVY HELICOPTER CROSSING RUNWAY 23. AFTER GAINING 50 AGL, AIRCRAFT DESCENDED, MADE NOSE GEAR HARD LANDING AND RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. FIREWALL HAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC97LA096Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGalion, OHThe inadvertent encounter with the helicopter main rotor downwash during the initial takeoff climb. Subsequently, the airplane descended and impacted the ground.May 18, 1997 · Substantial damage