# Accident 19971029031109A: Cessna 172F, Silver City, NM, October 29, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 29, 1997, 10:35 local time
- Place: Silver City, NM
- Airport: Silver City-Grant County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.6365° N, 108.1564° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6365&lon=-108.1564&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8714U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8714U-2012-07-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172F (registry code 2072414, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172F
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 44 total, 25 in this make and model, 34 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA036) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971029031109A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT LOST CONTROL ON LANDING AND THE NOSE GEAR BROKE OFF OF THE ACFT, SILVER CITY, NM. (.4)AS THE STUDENT PILOT FLARED FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 26, A 'VIOLENT WIND' FORCED THE AIRPLANE INTO A RIGHT BANK AND IT DRIFTED 'SLIGHTLY OFF' THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE.  THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE WINGS AND CORRECT WITH OPPOSITE RUDDER, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE GROUND WITH ITS RIGHT WING. THE PILOT ADDED POWER BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.  THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 290 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 19 KNOTS.  ACCORDING TO THE WIND COMPONENT GRAPH, A 30 DEGREE RIGHT QUARTERING HEADWIND BETWEEN 13 AND 19 KNOTS WILL RESULT IN A CROSSWIND COMPONENT BETWEEN 5 AND 9 KNOTS AND A HEADWIND COMPONENT BETWEEN 11 AND 17 KNOTS.  ACCORDING TO THE 1965 CESSNA 172F OWNER'S MANUAL, 'THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE CROSSWIND VELOCITY IS DEPENDENT UPON PILOT CAPABILITY RATHER THAN AIRPLANE LIMITATIONS.  WITH AVERAGE PILOT TECHNIQUE, DIRECT CROSSWINDS OF 15 MPH CAN BE HANDLED WITH SAFETY.'                                                                                                                                                                                             (-23) ON FINAL APPROACH FOR FIRST SOLO LANDING THIS DAY (THREE PRIOR LANDINGS THIS DAY WITH INSTRUCTOR). APPROACH NORMAL BUT AT FLARE A VIOLENT GUST OF WIND HIT AIRCRAFT, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL. OVER CONTROL. RIGHT WING CONTACTED GROUND. ADDED POWER. LEVELED WINGS BUT ANOTHER GUST HIT AIRCRAFT. PILOT LOST CONTROL. AIRCRAFT ROLLED OFF TO LEFT NOSE DOWN. NOSE STRUCK GROUND HEAVILY. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO NOSE & NOSE GEAR, POSSIBLE FIREWALL DAMAGE. BUCKLED BULKHEADS & FUSELAGE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA036), Oct 29, 1997: Cessna 172F (N8714U), Hurley, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the wind conditions. Factors included the gusty crosswind conditions and inadequate supervision of the student pilot's solo flight by his…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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