- Date
- December 21, 2010, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clifton, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9317GCessna 182P
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20101221054679A
- Case key
- 78051
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 crosswind and inadequate flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 2
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
According to the pilot, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind just prior to touchdown, and the pilot added power, but the engine did not respond. The airplane then landed hard, tearing the right main landing gear off, followed by the nosewheel landing gear. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane’s fuselage was buckled aft of the main landing gear attachment points and that both tips of the two-bladed propeller were curled aft in a manner consistent with the engine producing power at the time of impact. A witness reported that he heard the sound of metal contacting the ground and observed the airplane dragging its wing. He also observed the main landing gear separate from the airplane and the baggage door open. He did not hear the engine increase power for a go-around. The closest automated weather reporting station, located about 21 miles southeast of the accident site, reported wind from 220 degrees at 8 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that as he neared for touchdown on runway 32, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind that pushed him “off the runway”. He stated that he added power, but the engine did not respond. The airplane then landed hard; tearing the right main landing gear off, followed by the nose-wheel landing gear. An examination of the airplane following the accident revealed that the airplane’s fuselage was buckled aft of the main landing gear attachment points and the both tips of the two-bladed propeller were curled aft in a manner consistent with engine power at the time of impact. An individual, who was opening up his hangar, reported that he heard “the sound of metal contacting the ground”; turned and saw the accident airplane dragging its wing. The witness also saw the main landing gear separate from the airplane, and the baggage door, “pop” open. He also added that he did not hear the engine increase power, for a “go-around.” The automated weather reporting station, located about 21 miles southeast of the accident site, reported at 1051 winds at 220 degrees at 8 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9317G
- Reported as
- Cessna 182P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18260857
- Airframe hours
- 3,820
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pauls Valley Flyboys LLC
- Registered owner
- Pauls Valley Flyboys LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 17, 2010
- Departed
- KPVS · Pauls Valley, OK
- Destination
- 7F7 · Clifton, TX
- Airport
- 7F7 · Clifton Muncipal, runway 32, 3,000 × 50 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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 85 total · 9 in this make and model · 56 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KACT, 21 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 1, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.