- Date
- April 3, 2011, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3484ECessna 172N
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110403004839A
- Case key
- 78746
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 loss of directional control during landing in gusty crosswind conditions.
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
As the pilot returned to the local airport, the airport tower controller informed him of a storm cell approaching the airfield, issued a clearance to land, and reported wind from 70 degrees left of runway heading at 25 knots gusting to 34 knots. The pilot estimated the wind at 18 knots of crosswind, and landed using 40 degrees of flaps. While on the landing roll, the wind shifted to a tailwind at which time the airplane began to drift to the right side of the runway. The pilot attempted to go-around, but could not regain control of the airplane. He then elected to abort the go-around and attempted to bring the airplane to a stop. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and continued into a field. The airplane encountered uneven terrain and the airplane nosed over. Substantial damage was sustained to the airplane's wings and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact malfunctions with the airplane. A review of air traffic control transmissions revealed the pilot was aware of alerts for low-level windshear and microbursts during this local flight. The airplane's pilot operating handbook directs pilots to utilize the minimum flap setting required for field length while operating in strong crosswind conditions. In addition, the handbook does not state a maximum allowable crosswind velocity, but states that average pilot technique should be able to handle 15 knots of crosswind.
Factual narrative
As the pilot returned to the local airport, the airport tower controller informed him of a storm cell approaching the airfield, issued a clearance to land, and reported winds from 70 degrees left of runway heading at 25 knots gusting to 34 knots. The pilot estimated the winds at 18 knots of crosswind, and landed using 40 degrees of flaps. While on landing roll, the airplane experienced a shift in winds to a tailwind at which time the airplane began to drift to the right side of the 150-foot wide runway. The pilot attempted to go-around, but could not regain control of the airplane. He then elected to abort the go-around and attempted to bring the airplane to a stop. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and continued into a field. The airplane encountered uneven terrain and the airplane nosed over. Substantial damage was sustained to the airplane's wings and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact malfunctions with the airplane. A review of Air Traffic Control transmissions revealed the pilot was aware of alerts for low-level windshear and microbursts during the his local flight. The airplane's pilot operating handbook directs pilots to utilize the minimum flap setting required for field length while operating in strong crosswinds. In addition, the handbook does not state a maximum allowable crosswind velocity, but states that average pilot technique should be able to handle 15 knots of crosswind. Winds at the times of the pilot's landing were between 23 knots and 32 knots of crosswind.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3484E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271566
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Peak Aviation Center Inc
- Registered owner
- Peak Aviation Center Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KCOS · Colorado Springs, CO
- Destination
- KCOS · Colorado Springs, CO
- Airport
- KCOS · Colorado Springs Municipal, runway 35R, 13,501 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- October 29, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 86 total · 5 in this make and model · 31 as pilot in command · 0 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 28 knots, gusting 39
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.55 inHg
- Observed at
- KCOS
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 2, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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.