# NTSB ANC04LA074: Cessna 172, N172JL, Yakutat, AK, July 8, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 8, 2004, 12:05 local (20:05 UTC) - Place: Yakutat, AK - Coordinates: 59.411666, -139.504165 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.4117&lon=-139.5042&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 59593 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC04LA074 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59593/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04LA074 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in the collapse of the landing gear, and subsequent nose over during the landing roll. A factor associated with the accident was soft terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The private certificated pilot with three passengers, was landing on a remote sand-covered beach site. The pilot reported that before the accident landing, he did a touch-and-go-landing to check the sand condition. After the successful touch-and-go landing on the beach, he landed to the southeast. During the landing roll, the tires encountered soft sand, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane subsequently nosed over, and received structural damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and fuselage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On July 8, 2004, about 1205 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 172 airplane, N172JL, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during the landing roll on a remote beach site located about 7 miles east of Yakutat, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private certificated pilot, and the three passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Yakutat Airport, Yakutat, about 1150. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on July 12, the pilot reported that before the accident landing, he did a touch-and-go-landing to check the sand condition. After the successful touch-and-go landing on the beach, he landed to the southeast. During the landing roll, the tires encountered soft sand, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane subsequently nosed over, and received structural damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and fuselage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N172JL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N172JL), registered now, S/N 17257724 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 - Registry model: [Cessna 172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (registry code 2072430) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17257724 - Airframe hours: 3777 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Chase W. Springer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2004 - Departed: YAK, Yakutat, AK - Destination: Yakutat, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 125 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: YAK ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040708014329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040708014329A), Jul 8, 2004: Cessna 172K, Yakutat, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Cessna 172 landing beach 7 miles e. of Yakutat on blacksand spit. 4 sob/family of 4, private pilot, pleasure flight was landing beach and aircraft… 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. --- 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.