- Date
- April 6, 1994, 22:20 local (Apr 7, 1994, 02:20 UTC)
- Place
- Clarksburg, WV
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N739HCCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 7, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940406000329A
- Case key
- 8906
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 selection of a downwind runway, and his inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. A factor was the gusting tailwind.
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 airplane was on the landing roll when it encountered a wind gust. The airplane became airborne, descended and impacted hard on the runway. The right main and nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. According to the pilot, ' ...a wind gust from the left side lifted up the left wing and the airplane became airborne. The aircraft then appeared to lift off the runway surface and veer to the right, out of control, never gaining much altitude or speed, crashing just east of the runway.' The pilot had been cleared to land on runway 21; however, the pilot requested and was cleared to land on runway 3. The reported winds were 270 degrees at 13 knots with gusts to 20.
Factual narrative
On Wednesday, April 6, 1994 at 2220 hours eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N739HC, piloted by Richard A. White, encountered wind gusts and nosed over during landing at Clarksburg Airport (CKB), Clarksburg, West Virginia. The certified flight instructor and his two passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The business flight was being operated by Southern Ohio Aviation, Incorporated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in Charleston, West Virginia and was arriving at its destination when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the operation.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control Specialist. The airplane "appeared to have made a landing on the runway and was rolling out. The aircraft then appeared to lift off the runway surface and veer to the right , out of control, never gaining much altitude or speed, crashing just east of the runway...."
The pilot stated that "During rollout...a wind gust from the left side lifted up the left wing and the airplane became airborne..., [The airplane], came down hard on the right main and nose gear, collapsing the nose gear and flipping upside down."
An FAA safety inspector examined the airplane and interviewed witnesses . He reported the pilot was cleared by FAA air traffic control personnel to land on runway 21. The pilot requested to land on runway 03. The controller reported the winds to the pilot and the pilot elected to land on runway 03. The winds at the time of the accident were reported to be from 270 degrees at 13 knots with gusts to 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N739HC
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270547
- Airframe hours
- 5,978
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Southern Ohio Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Southern Ohio Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 21, 1994 · 42 hours before
- Departed
- HTW · Chesapeake, OH
- Destination
- CKB
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CKB · Benedum, runway 3, 5,198 × 150 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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,380 total · 2,400 in this make and model · 6,347 as pilot in command · 170 in the last 90 days · 86 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 270° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CKB
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 N739HC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.