# Accident 20120925021629A: Cessna 150, Saint John, AZ, September 25, 2012 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 25, 2012, 11:00 local time - Place: Saint John, AZ - Airport: Private Strip - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.8669° N, 109.5167° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8669&lon=-109.5167&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5892E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5892E-2018-02-02) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 150 (registry code 2071802, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150 - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR12CA438](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA438) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120925021629A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 09/26/2012 A REPORT WAS RECEIVED BY REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER THAT ON 09/25/2012 AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 AM A PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A DIRT STRIP. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD LOST CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT AND IMPACTED A SAND BURM WHILE LANDING AT AN OFF AIRPORT DIRT STRIP APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES NORTH OF SAINT JOHN NEAR HIS HOME. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND THAT HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON BOARD AND WAS NOT INJURED.A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED WITH THE PILOT. IN THIS INTERVIEW THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN FROM HIS PRIVATE STRIP THAT MORNING AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 AM LOCAL AND ARRIVED AT KSJN (SAINT JOHNS INDUSTRIAL AIRPARK) AT APPROXIMATELY 0920. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED FROM KSJN AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30 AM LOCAL AND ARRIVED AT HIS PRIVATE STRIP AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 AM LOCAL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD ACCESSED WEATHER THAT MORNING BY LISTENING TO AN NOAA RADIO STATION FOR THE SAINT JOHNS AREA. THE WEATHER REPORTED AT THAT TIME WAS FOR CLEAR SKIES AND WINDS LIGHT AND VARIABLE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE REPORT ALSO FORECASTED AFTERNOON WINDS AS INCREASING FROM THE WEST AND GUSTS 0F 25-30 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS PRIVATE STRIP WAS A ROAD WHICH HE WIDENED. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE LANDING AREA CONSISTED OF CLAY AND HARD PACKED DIRT. THE LANDING AREA IS DESCRIBED AS BEING 1800 FEET LONG ON A NORTH/SOUTH ORIENTATION. THERE IS A 10-20% GRADIANT THAT SLOPES UP TO THE SOUTH AND DOWN TO THE NORTH. THE ROAD IS LINED ON THE WEST SIDE WITH A DIRT INCLINE. THERE IS A BARBED WIRE FENCE 50 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE ROAD ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE IS A POLE WITH A WINDSOCK APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET FROM THE BEGINING OF THE LANDING AREA ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE STRIP.THE PILOT STATED THAT PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE FROM KSJN HE BOUGHT FUEL AND BROUGHT THE TANKS UP TO 3/4 FULL. AFTER DEPARTURE THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE GUSTY AND CONTINUED TO BE GUSTY THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT TO HIS ARRIVAL AT THE PRIVATE STRIP. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE A VISUAL APPROACH FOR A LANDING TO THE SOUTH. ON THAT APPROACH THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DIRECT CROSSWIND FROM THE WEST, APPROXIMATELY 15-20 KNOTS. THE PILOT THEN CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR A CROSSWIND LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS UNSURE OF THE FLAP SETTING BUT THAT IT WAS NO MORE THAN 10 DEGREES.THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HIS SPEED JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN WAS APPROXIMATELY 40 KNOTS AND THAT HE WAS ABOUT 300 FEET FURTHER DOWN THE LANDING AREA FROM HIS NORMAL TOUCHDOWN POINT, A TOTAL OF 700 FEET FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE LANDING AREA.THE PILOT STATED THAT PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THE WIND SHIFTED 180 DEGREES AND BECAME A DIRECT CROSSWIND FROM THE EAST. THE PILOT WAS UNSURE OF WHETHER OR NOT HE ACTUALLY TOUCHED DOWN. THE PILOT STATED THE WIND PICKED THE AIRCRAFT UP, APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET AND BLEW IT TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE LANDING STRIP. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DRIFT TO THE WEST AND IMPACTED AN INCLINE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT ALSO MADE CONTACT WITH THE BARBED WIRE FENCE WHICH IMPACTED THE RIGHT WING FIRST. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN TO TURN TO THE LEFT WHERE THE BARBED WIRE FENCE IMPACTED THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ULTIMATELY ENDED UP FACING TO THE NORTH IN A POSITION OFF OF THE LANDING STRIP. ## 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 WPR12CA438](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA438), Sep 25, 2012: Cessna 150 (N5892E), St Johns, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusty crosswind conditions. 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.