# Accident 20010718017829A: Cessna 172M, Carson City, NV, July 18, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 18, 2001, 19:09 local time - Place: Carson City, NV - Airport: Carson Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.1394° N, 119.7098° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1394&lon=-119.7098&mi=10 - Aircraft: N20466, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N20466-2017-06-21) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - Reported engine: LYC O320E2D - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA251) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010718017829A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON JULY 18, 2001, AT 1909 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172M, N20466, IMPACTED ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION LINES AND CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE CARSON CITY, NEVADA, AIRPORT. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE LOCAL AREA PHOTOGRAPHIC FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY FORTIER ENTERPRISES, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE MIDFIELD POSITION ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. HIS ATTENTION WAS DRAWN TO THE AIRPLANE AS IT FLEW PAST HIS POSITION BECAUSE IT WAS "HANGING THERE", FLYING AT A SLOW SPEED AND APPEARED TO BE TRYING TO CLIMB. IT WAS ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, WESTBOUND. HE DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS TAKING OFF OR DOING A TOUCH-AND-GO OR A GO-AROUND, BUT THE FLAPS WERE FULL DOWN. AS IT TRAVELED FURTHER WEST IT STARTED TO SINK AND THEN DISAPPEARED FROM HIS VIEW BEHIND THE HANGARS ON THE WEST END OF THE AIRPORT. HE DIDN'T THINK THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WAS OPERATING AT FULL POWER. HE RECALLED THE AUTOMATIC WEATHER OBSERVATION SYSTEM (AWOS) REPORTING THE S URFACE WIND WAS FROM THE WEST AT 8 KNOTS. AS OF JULY 23, 2001, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIRMAN RECORDS DATABASE SHOWED THE PILOT'S COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE IN A REVOKED STATUS. (-23) HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE. NEAR GROSS WEIGHT. INEXPERIENCED PILOT. FLAPS DOWN DURING TAKE OFF. (.4) ON JULY 18, 2001, AT 1909 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172M, N20466, IMPACTED ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION LINES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, FLEW AN ADDITIONAL 3 MILES, AND CRASHED AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE CARSON AIRPORT, CARSON CITY, NEVADA. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE LOCAL AREA PHOTOGRAPHIC FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY AVIATION AMERICA, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 27 FROM HIS POSITION AT MIDFIELD ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. HIS ATTENTION WAS DRAWN TO THE AIRPLANE AS IT FLEW PAST BECAUSE IT WAS "HANGING THERE," FLYING AT A SLOW SPEED, AND APPEARED TO BE TRYING TO CLIMB. IT WAS ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, WESTBOUND. HE DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS TAKING OFF OR DOING A TOUCH-AND-GO OR A GO-AROUND, BUT THE FLAPS WERE FULL DOWN. AS IT TRAVELED FURTHER WEST IT STARTED TO SINK AND THEN DISAPPEARED FROM HIS VIEW BEHIND THE HANGARS ON THE WEST END OF THE AIRPORT. HE DIDN'T THINK THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WAS OPERATING AT FULL POWER. HE RECALLED THE AUTOMATIC WEATHER OBSERVATION SYSTEM (AWOS) REPORTING THE SURFACE WIND WAS FROM THE WEST AT 8 KNOTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT IN A RAVINE ADJACENT TO A PRISON. AT THE SCENE, THE PILOT IDENTIFIED HIMSELF TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL USING THE PILOT CERTIFICATE NUMBER OF ANOTHER PILOT WHOSE NAME WAS SPELLED SIMILARLY. AS OF JULY 23, 2001, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIRMAN RECORDS DATABASE SHOWED THE PILOT'S PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE IN A REVOKED STATUS. NTSB FORM 6120.1/2, PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT, WAS SENT TO THE PILOT'S LOCAL ADDRESS AND WAS NOT RETURNED. A LETTER FROM THE PILOT TO A THIRD PARTY, DATED AUGUST 21, 2001, STATED "I HAVE RETURNED TO GERMANY SINCE AT PRESENT I AM UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES THAT I'M FACING." ## 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 LAX01LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA251), Jul 19, 2001: Cessna 172M (N20466), Carson City, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to follow the approved procedures for the aircraft when he attempted to takeoff at high density altitude with the wing flaps fully extended. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.