# Accident 20201119014709A: Cessna 172N, Cynthiana, KY, November 19, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 19, 2020, 18:43 local time
- Place: Cynthiana, KY
- Airport: Cynthiana-Harrison County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.3662° N, 84.2833° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3662&lon=-84.2833&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6203F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6203F-2021-07-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 428 total, 131 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA050) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201119014709A

## Narrative

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

ACCORDING TO PILOT'S STATEMENT, ON NOVEMBER, 19, 2020, PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) FLEW FROM BLUE GRASS AIRPORT (LEX) TO GEORGETOWN-SCOTT COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (27K) AND PICKED UP TWO PASSENGERS. PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PRACTICE NIGHT LANDINGS. AFTER DEPARTING FROM 27K, AIRCRAFT AND OCCUPANTS THEN FLEW TO CAPITAL CITY AIRPORT (FFT) FOR A NIGHT LANDING, THEN ON TO CYNTHIANA-HARRISON COUNTY AIRPORT (0I8) FOR ANOTHER NIGHT LANDING. AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES OUT FROM 0I8 AND ILLUMINATED RUNWAY LIGHTING WITH RADIO. PILOT POINTED OUT RUNWAY AT 10 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT 3 MILES TO BOTH PASSENGERS. NOTED WINDS AT ABOUT 190 DEGREES AND 20 KNOTS. SOUTH OF RUNWAY 11 BY ABOUT 1/4 MILE AT PATTERN ALTITUDE, TOLD PASSENGERS HE WAS GOING TO ALLOW WIND TO BLOW PLANE INTO RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, BUT IF CROSSWIND WAS TOO STRONG, HE WOULD MAKE LOW APPROACH AND NOT LAND THE PLANE. RAN THROUGH PRE-LANDING CHECKLIST AND BECAUSE OF THE WIND, DECIDED ON A ZERO FLAP LANDING. ON HALF-MILE FINAL AT 70 KNOTS, NOTED PAPI INDICATED SLIGHTLY LOW. HELD RIGHT AILERON TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY HEADING AND PUSHED LEFT RUDDER PEDAL TO SEE HOW MUCH DEFLECTION HE WOULD NEED TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. PILOT'S LEFT FOOT SLIPPED ON LEFT RUDDER PEDAL THEN REPOSITIONED. PILOT ESTIMATED A LOSS OF 20 FEET IN ALTITUDE IN AN INADVERTENT SLIP. PILOT NOTICED PAPI INDICATED ALL RED AND REACHED FOR THE THROTTLE TO RE-ACQUIRE THE GLIDE SLOPE. BEFORE PILOT COULD APPLY THROTTLE, SAW THE TOPS OF TREES AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE TOP OF THE PROPELLER AND ABOUT 30 FEET IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1843 (EST), THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES ON APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 11. THE AIRCRAFT BROKE APART INTO 2 (TWO) MAIN SECTIONS. THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THERE WAS NO POST-ACCIDENT FIRE OR DAMAGE TO AIRPORT PROPERTY.

## 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 ERA21LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA050), Nov 19, 2020: Cessna 172 (N6203F), Cynthiana, KY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain proper glide path during a visual approach that was conducted at night, resulting in a collision with trees and terrain.

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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