- Date
- January 18, 2009, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Emporia, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2465HCessna 172S
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090118000699A
- Case key
- 73277
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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during the touch-and-go. Contributing to the accident were the gusty crosswinds.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The solo student pilot was performing touch-and-gos to the 4,999-foot-long, 100-foot-wide asphalt runway in the single-engine, high-wing airplane. The winds were stronger than forecasted, yet the pilot elected to perform approaches to the airport anyway. On the second touch-and-go to runway 01, the student pilot stated that he encountered a gust of wind and lost control of the airplane. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted terrain in a dirt field resulting in damage to the airplane's firewall. According to the airfield's automated weather report, winds at the time of the accident were estimated to be from 330 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 22 knots. A review of the student pilot's logbook revealed that he was endorsed for the solo flight with a maximum crosswind component of 7 knots.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot was performing touch-and-gos to the 4,999 foot long, 100-foot wide asphalt runway in the single-engine, high wing airplane. The winds were stronger than forecasted, yet the pilot elected to perform approaches to the airport anyway. On the second touch-and-go to runway 01, the student pilot stated he encountered a gust of wind and lost control of the airplane. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted terrain in a dirt field resulting in damage to the airplane's firewall. According to the airfield's automated weather report, winds at the time of the accident were estimated to be from 330 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 22 knots. A review of the student pilot's logbook revealed that he was endorsed for the solo flight with a maximum crosswind component of 7 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2465H
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S10056
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hetrick Air Services Inc.
- Registered owner
- Ron-Air Systems Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LWC · Lawrence, KS
- Destination
- LWC · Lawrence, KS
- Airport
- EMP · Emporia Municipal, runway 01, 4,999 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 50 total · 30 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- EMP
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.