# NTSB BFO92LA111: Cessna 172, N12921, Charleston, WV, July 23, 1992

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 23, 1992, 19:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place: Charleston, WV
- Coordinates: 37.739475, -81.840133 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7395&lon=-81.8401&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report June 30, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11827
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO92LA111
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11827/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO92LA111

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED TO OUTCLIMB OBSTACLES.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - airspeed - not attained, pilot in command (cause)
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 33 WHEN, ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN NOSE GEAR FIRST AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN, PARTIALLY OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE PILOT ADDED SOME POWER AND WAS HOLDING THE AIRPLANE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHILE CLIMBING SLOWLY WITH THE FLAPS FULL DOWN. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED TREES PAST THE RUNWAY END, THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT AND HEADED DOWNWIND, STILL IN A HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE BEFORE IT DESCENDED AND CRASHED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO LAND, AND WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING, HE APPLIED FULL POWER TO TAKEOFF. AS HE WAS CLIMBING HE TURNED TO AVOID TREES PAST THE RUNWAY END. HE TRIED TO GAIN AIRSPEED, BUT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND NOSED INTO THE GROUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N12921](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N12921-1992-10-07), registration cancelled 1992-10-07, S/N 17262373 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17262373
- Airframe hours: 3601
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Benjamin Mallory
- Registered owner: Benjamin Mallory
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 19, 1992, 46 hours before
- Departed: WV12, SO CHARLESTON, WV
- Airport: WV12, Mallory, runway 33, 1,909 × 25 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 38; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 155 total, 8 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: CRW, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19920723026879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920723026879A), Jul 23, 1992: Cessna 172M, South Charlesto, WV, Destroyed. Bounced landing. Began nose high go around full flaps. Stalled into trees.

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.