- Date
- June 26, 1995, 22:50 local (Jun 27, 1995, 06:50 UTC)
- Place
- Delta Junction, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4804ECessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19950626014819A
- Case key
- 2672
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper compensation for the wind conditions which resulted in dragging the right wing and shearing off the nose gear.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated he was in ground effect when a gust of wind hit the airplane and it started to drift to the left. He corrected but stated he over reacted and lost control. The pilot stated the wind was from 150 degrees at 12 knots. He was landing the airplane on runway 14. The airplane dragged its right wing and nosed down.
Factual narrative
On June 26, 1995, at 2250 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 172 airplane, N4804E, registered to and operated by the pilot, nosed down and dragged the right wing during the landing roll at the Black Rapids Airport, Alaska. The Black Rapids Airport is located 30 miles south of Delta Junction, Alaska. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Tok, Alaska, and the destination was the accident site. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The private certificated pilot and the 3 passengers were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage.
According to the pilot, the wind was from 150 degrees at 12 knots and he did not notice any wind gusts during his approach. After traveling down the runway in ground effect for a distance of 100 feet, the pilot stated that a wind gust hit the aircraft and at that moment there was no power applied to the engine. The aircraft started to roll to the left. The pilot stated he believes he overreacted to correct the roll and he lost control of the airplane.
During a telephone interview with the pilot, conducted on June 28, 1995, the pilot stated the accident occurred on June 26, 1995.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4804E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271665
- Airframe hours
- 1,390
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tamsy, Roy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 30, 1994 · 51 hours before
- Departed
- TKJ · Tok, AK
- Destination
- 5BK · Black Rapids, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 5BK · Black Rapids, runway 14, 2,250 × 60 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 590 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 150° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.