# NTSB BFO95LA076: Cessna 172D, N2418Y, Hague, VA, August 5, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 4, 1995, 20:10 local (Aug 5, 1995, 00:10 UTC) - Place: Hague, VA - Coordinates: 38.070278, -76.650321 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0703&lon=-76.6503&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 29, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9065 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO95LA076 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9065/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO95LA076 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND AND THE PROXIMITY OF TALL CORN (CROP) TO THE NARROW RUNWAY. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - terrain condition - crop (contributing factor) - proper alignment - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON A GRASS RUNWAY THAT WAS 44 FEET WIDE AND HAD TALL CORN GROWING ON BOTH SIDE. THE LANDING WAS MADE WITH A 7 KNOT CROSSWIND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR FIRST, SLIGHTLY LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE '...YAWS...LEFT BECAUSE [THE] LEFT MAIN IS ON GRASS FIRST.' THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TALL CORN AT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE CORN HAD NOT BEEN GROWN SO CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY. ## Factual narrative On August 4, 1995, at 2010 eastern daylight time, N2418Y, a Cessna 172D, crashed during landing at a private grass field in Hague, Virginia. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. The pilot reported that he was on a 45 minute flight from Manassas, VA, to a private airport. He stated that he made,"...a normal standard approach to North runway...flair at full flaps was at stall speed, aircraft floated slightly left just prior to touchdown....touchdown wheel marks are just left of center of runway at approximately 300 feet from approach end of runway. Aircraft's left main gear touched ground first, aircraft yaws slightly left because left main is on grass first." The left wing struck corn stalks and the aircraft spun around. The aircraft was examined at the accident site by an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector. The FAA Inspector reported that the grass strip had corn stalks on both sides, and that the width of the field when measured was actually 44-feet-wide. The Inspector also reported that the aircraft was examined after the accident and no anomalies were noted. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction and that the accident could have been prevented if the corn was not grown so close to the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2418Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2418Y-1996-08-29), registration cancelled 1996-08-29, S/N 17249718 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172D - Registry model: [Cessna 172D](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172d) (registry code 2072410) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172249718 - Airframe hours: 4034 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Morgan T Moore - Registered owner: Morgan T Moore - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 13, 1995, 30 hours before - Departed: HEF, MANASSAS, VA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PVT, Sanford Private, runway 36, 2,268 × 44 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 784 total, 537 in this make and model, 33 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 7 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: NHK, 20 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 19950804022059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950804022059A), Aug 4, 1995: Cessna 172D, Hague, VA, Substantial damage. Elected land on narrow grass runway. Collided with tall corn left edge runway. 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.