CEN13CA272

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172M · Thief River Falls, MN · May 9, 2013

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 9, 2013, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
Place
Thief River Falls, MN
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N1820VCessna 172M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 29, 2013
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
FAA report
20130509007179A
Case key
86873

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the power line while on approach to 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.

Object/animal/substance: wireEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeCessna 172M: 7 casesAll aircraft: 588 cases

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

During the local flight, the pilot noted that the air was getting a little choppy and that he had to increase the wind correction angle in order to fly a normal heading. The pilot flew a normal downwind approach to the airstrip, but the wind correction angle was very large. He aborted the landing and did a full-power climb to a safe altitude. He said that he then elected to land on the east-west blacktop road right in front of the farm rather than the airstrip, which ran north-south. He circled due to traffic on the road and was concentrating on possible traffic as he approached to land. Soon thereafter, the pilot saw wires directly ahead, and he heard the airplane strike a wire; he applied full power, but the airplane descended and impacted a ditch on the right side and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial wing damage during the nose over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The pilot had heard that the wind would pick up later in the day where it would not be ideal for flying. He decided to get a little local flying in early. During the flight, he decided to head back towards the farm airstrip, as it was getting a little choppy. He noticed the wind correction angle needed to fly a heading had increased significantly. The pilot flew a normal downwind approach and found that the wind correction angle was very large. He aborted the landing and did a full power climb back to a safe altitude. He decided to land on the east-west blacktop road right in front of the farm. He circled due to traffic on the road and was totally concentrating on possible traffic. The pilot’s eyes caught sight of wires directly ahead and he heard the “zing” of wire impact the airplane as he applied full power. The airplane was subsequently pulling to the right and the pilot could not hold the centerline. The airplane settled, impacted the ditch on the right side, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial wing damage during the nose over. The pilot reported that there no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the flight.

Aircraft

Registration
N1820V
Reported as
Cessna 172M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17263762
Airframe hours
7,520
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Pilot
Registered owner
Pilot
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · October 1, 2012
Departed
Thief River Falls, MN
Destination
Thief River Falls, MN

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
60
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
April 19, 2012
Seat
Left
Flight hours
796 total · 400 in this make and model · 610 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
60° at 17 knots, gusting 23
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
52 °F, dew point 27 °F
Altimeter
30.21 inHg
Observed at
TVF

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.