- Date
- August 20, 2007, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Charlotte, NC
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7410GCessna 172K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Charlotte FSDO-33
- FAA report
- 20070820829929A
- Case key
- 66489
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 failure to maintain directional control while landing.
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 suffered a concussion and reported he has no recall of the events associated with the accident. The pilot rated passenger stated the pilot entered left downwind for the runway and in his opinion the airplane was high and fast when the pilot turned the airplane on to final approach. The pilot initiated a slip to the left to lose altitude and the airplane was crabbing to the left. The left wing of the airplane collided with a tree about 10-feet in the air and the airplane came to rest on the ground left of the runway. The passenger stated the airplane did not experienced a mechanical malfunction during the approach for landing. The airplane sustained structural damage to both wings and the airframe. The flaps were found in the full down position.
Factual narrative
The pilot suffered a concussion and reported he has no recall of the events associated with the accident. The pilot rated passenger stated the pilot entered left downwind for runway 17. The passenger stated in his opinion the airplane was high and fast when the pilot turned the airplane on final approach. The pilot initiated a slip to the left to lose altitude and the airplane was crabbing to the left. The left wing of the airplane collided with a tree about 10-feet in the air and came to rest on the ground. The passenger stated the airplane did not experienced a mechanical malfunction during the approach for landing.
Examination of the airplane by the FAA revealed the airplane received structural damage to both wings and the airframe. The flaps were found in the full down position. The left and right main fuel tanks contained between 30 to 40 gallons of 100-low lead fuel. No anomalies were noted with the engine assembly. Examination of runway 17 revealed the airplane collided with trees left wing low about 15 to 16 above the ground and about 50 feet left of runway 17. The airplane continued forward an additional 50-feet with the airplane striking numerous trees. The right wing tip collided with the ground and separated the right wing tip. The airplane continued forward an additional 20 feet, collided with a tree, separated the outboard 5-feet of the right wing, and came to a complete stop off the left side of the runway in the trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7410G
- Reported as
- Cessna 172K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17259110
- Airframe hours
- 5,436
- Engine
- Lycoming o-320, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wilgrove Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Wilgrove Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 1, 2007 · 41 hours before
- Departed
- K73J · Beaufort, SC
- Destination
- K8A6 · Charlotte, NC
- Airport
- K8A6 · Wilgrove Air Park, runway 17, 2,835 × 40 ft, asphalt
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
- 37
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 270 total · 200 in this make and model · 270 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KCLT, 13 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7410G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.