# NTSB BFO95LA074: Cessna 172, N6403B, Wauseon, OH, June 23, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 22, 1995, 21:00 local (Jun 23, 1995, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Wauseon, OH - Coordinates: 41.679718, -83.560417 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6797&lon=-83.5604&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 30, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9064 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO95LA074 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9064/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO95LA074 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to obtain/maintain adequate altitude/clearance from obstacles during an attempted go-round. Related factors are the pilot's failure to attain the planned approach and the improper go-around procedures. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, go-around (vfr) - planned approach - not attained, pilot in command (contributing factor) - go-around - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - object - wire,transmission - altitude/clearance - not obtained/maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT DUSK, ON AN UNLIT TURF RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS HIGH AND FAST DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING, SO HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WENT TO FULL POWER AND PLACED THE FLAPS TO THE 30 DEGREE POSITION. THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID A GAS STATION LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHEN HE REALIZED HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO CLIMB OVER WIRES. THE PILOT-RATED-PASSENGER STATED THAT HE HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH THE WIRES. THE AIRPLANE OPERATING HANDBOOK ADVISES PILOTS TO REDUCE WING FLAP SETTING TO 20 DEGREES IMMEDIATELY AFTER FULL POWER IS APPLIED FOR A GO AROUND. ## Factual narrative On June 22, 1995, at 2100 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N6403B, was destroyed during a go around attempt at Exit 3 Airport, a private grass airstrip near Wauseon, Ohio. The pilot and the one passenger, the sole occupants, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 and originated from Hillsdale Municipal Airport, Hillsdale, Michigan, at approximately 2045 hours. The 104 hour private pilot stated that it was dusk when he landed on the unlit turf runway. Because there was no wind, he turned the airplane around and took off in the opposite direction. The pilot stated that during the ensuing attempted landing, he decided to go around because the airplane was too high and too fast. The pilot reported that he applied full power and raised the flaps to the 30 degree position. The pilot recalled maneuvering the airplane in order to avoid a gas station located near the end of the runway when the "airplane ran out of airspeed". The passenger/private pilot stated he heard the stall warning horn prior to the collision with the telephone wires. The Cessna 172 Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) states that in a balked landing (go-around) climb, reduce the wing flap setting to 20 degrees immediately after full power is applied. It further states that if obstacles must be cleared during the go-around climb, leave the wing flaps in the 10 degree to 20 degree range and maintain a safe airspeed until the obstacles are cleared. Excerpts from the POH are appended. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6403B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6403B-1996-12-11), registration cancelled 1996-12-11, S/N 29603 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 - Registry model: [Cessna 172](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172) (registry code 2072402) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 29603 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-300-A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Thomas Spratt - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: PVT, OH - Airport: NONE, Exit 3, runway 27, 2,700 × 75 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 104 total, 66 in this make and model, 53 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 70° at 8 knots - Visibility: 12 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TOL ## 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 19950622024369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950622024369A), Jun 22, 1995: Cessna 172, Wauseon, OH, Destroyed. Landed long and fast on unlit runway. Began late go around. Hit power line. Had 30 flaps instead of 20 per POH. (-23) pilot doing touch-and-go's, landed for… 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.