# Accident 20040215002019A: Cessna 172E, Batavia, NY, February 15, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 15, 2004, 16:52 local time
- Place: Batavia, NY
- Airport: Genesee County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.0317° N, 78.1675° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0317&lon=-78.1675&mi=10
- Aircraft: N369WP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N369WP-2009-12-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172E (registry code 2072412, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172E
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 293 total, 213 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC04CA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04CA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040215002019A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2004 AT APPROXIMATELY 1650 EST, A CESSNA 172E AIRCRAFT, BEARING REGISTRATION NUMBER N369WP, REGISTERED TO DAVID BLAKELEY AND OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH A SNOW DRIFT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT HTE GENESEE COUNTY AIRPORT (GVQ) IN BATAVIA, NY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED THE BUFFALO AIRFIELD (NC0). DURING THE INVESTIGATION SHORTLY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE RUNWAY CONDITIONS AT GVQ CONSISTED OF MOSTLY BARE AND DRY WITH WIDELY SCATTERED PATCHES OF HARD PACKED SNOW AND ICE, WITH GOOD BRAKING ACTION. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE THE ONLY OCCUPANTS ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT; THE PILOT RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES WHILE THE PASSENGER WAS UNINJURED. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING A SHOULDER HARNESS. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD PLANNED A FULL-STOP LANDING AT GVQ. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN A NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 10. WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED TO BE 350 AT 7 KNOTS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE APPROACH WAS FLOWN AT A SLIGHTLY HIGHER AIRSPEED THAN NORMAL, WHICH RESULTED IN FLOATING DURING THE LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT, (A TAILWHEEL CONVERSION) BEGAN TO FISHTAIL. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HAD USED APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE AVAILABLE LANDING DISTANCE ON THE RUNWAY, IT DEPARTED THE NORTH EDGE, STRIKING A SNOWDRIFT THAT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP INVERTED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE INVERTED POSITION, NOSE POINTING IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION, APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET FROM THE NORTH EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. AN EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT'S FLIGHT RECORDS INDICATED THAT HE HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 293 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME ACCUMULATED OVER THE LAST 13 YEARS. THE RECORD FURTHER INDICATED THAT HE HAD LOGGED 213 HOURS OF TIME IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 9 YEARS. ACCORDING TO THE LOGBOOK, THE PILOT HAD LOGGED ONLY 1.6 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME IN THE 90 DAYS PREVIOUS TO THE ACCIDENT. DURING THAT TIME THE PILOT HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 7 LANDINGS. OVER THE COURSE OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK INDICATED A TOTAL OF ONLY 10.6 HOURS LOGGED, WITH ONLY AND ADDITIONAL 7.7 HOURS FOR THE YEAR PREVIOUS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SATISFACTORY FLIGHT REVIEWS DATED 7-25-2003, 7-27-2001, 7-28-1999 AND 6-28-1997, THE MOST RECENT LOGGED DUAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTION WAS DATED 12-13-1996.

## 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 NYC04CA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04CA068), Feb 15, 2004: Cessna 172E (N369WP), Batavia, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing. Factors were a tailwind and icy runway.

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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