# Accident 20050507009029A: Cessna 172RG, Grand Canyon, AZ, May 7, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 7, 2005, 16:37 local time
- Place: Grand Canyon, AZ
- Airport: Grand Canyon National Park
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.9522° N, 112.1467° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9522&lon=-112.1467&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4970V, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4970V-2005-12-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172RG (registry code 2072438, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172RG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 205 total, 52 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX05LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA160) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050507009029A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON MAY 7, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 1637 LOCAL TIME (PDT), A CESSNA CE-172-RG, N4970V, STANDARD CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCED A FORCED LANDING AFTER TAKE OFF ON RUNWAY 21 AT GRAND CANYON NATIONAL AIRPORT AZ (GCN) WITH 3 PERSONS ON BOARD. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT'S STATEMENT CONFIRMED ENGINE SEEMED TO BE PERFORMING NORMALLY. THE PILOT REPORTED NOSE WHEEL LIFTED OFF RUNWAY @ 55 KIAS AND AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE AT AROUND 60 KIAS. AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED SLOWY THROUGH 65 KIAS @ ROC ESTABLISHED. AT ABOUT 20-30 FT. AGL PILOT RAISED THE GEAR TO REDUCE DRAG AND IMPROVE BETTER ROC. AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DESCEND AND WOULD NOT CLIMB, PILOT LOWERED LANDING GEAR FOR ABORT BUT JUDGED INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY FOR LANDING AND CONTINUED FLYING ALTERING HIS COURSE TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO PREVENT IMPACT WITH TREES, UNTIL PILOT KNEW AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT MAKE IT OVER THE RIDGE AND SAW AIRSPEED AROUND 55 KIAS JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING GROUND 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF RUNWAY. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS IN THE FULL FORWARD (RICH) POSITION. FUELING RECORDS AT THE GRAND CANYON NATIONAL AIRPORT INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOPPED OFF WITH 30.1 GALLONS OF FUEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR PALOMAR AIRPORT, CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA. PERSONNEL AT GRAND CANYON AIRPORT STATED THE BAGGAGE THAT WAS LEFT ONBOARD WAS WEIGHED AT 47.10 LBS. WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS INDICATE THE WEIGHT WAS AT OR OVER THE MAXIMUM AND NOT AS STATED IN PILOT'S REPORT PROVIDED TO THE FSDO. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR AS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.

## 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 LAX05LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA160), May 7, 2005: Cessna 172RG (N4970V), Grand Canyon, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot-in-command's failure to properly lean the mixture, which resulted in a power deficiency, a degraded climb capability, and the inability to attain/maintain an adequate airspeed that led to a…

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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