# Accident 20020608013459A: Cessna 172S, Goldfield, NV, June 8, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 8, 2002, 12:00 local time
- Place: Goldfield, NV
- Airport: Goldfield
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.7311° N, 117.2378° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7311&lon=-117.2378&mi=10
- Aircraft: N480DW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N480DW-2003-02-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA192) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020608013459A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED THE GOLDFIELD AIRPORT ON RUNWAY 35, WHILE TAXIING THE PILOT ESTIMATED CALM WIND CONDITIONS, AND AN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE OF 81 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 5680 FEET MSL, AND ALL RUNWAYS ARE HARD PACKED GRAVEL. RUNWAY 35 HAS A 1.7% UPGRADE AND IS 3150 FEET LONG. PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATE A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 8,000 FEET. THE PILOT STATED THAT POWER/PERFORMANCE WAS GOOD DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL, AND THAT HE ROTATED AT 60-65 KTS. UTILIZING 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS. ONCE A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB WAS ESTABLISHED, THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, AND AT AN AIRSPEED OF 65 KTS, OR GREATER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCK BY A STRONG GUST FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL LEFT AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF FLIGHT CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED UPON A DRY LAKE BED, SLIDING TOO, AND COMINT TO REST UPON AN EMBANKMENT. NOTE: UPON POST ACCIDENT PHOTO REVIEW, FLAPS WERE NOTED IN THE FULL DOWN 30 DEGREE POSITION.

## 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 LAX02LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA192), Jun 8, 2002: Cessna 172S (N480DW), Goldfield, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a high density altitude takeoff. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of experience in the type of operation and a wind gust.

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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