- Date
- September 11, 2014, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Oxford, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3510QCessna 172M
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20140911016469A
- Case key
- 90073
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 did not compensate for the decrease in the crosswind when he descended below the tree line during the landing.
Findings · 3
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 pilot reported he was landing on runway 36 when the accident occurred. He listened to the automated weather reporting station from an airport 13 miles away and the wind was reported as being from 350 degrees at 5 knots. He stated he established a crab angle to compensate for the wind while on final approach. Upon reaching an altitude of 50 feet above the ground, he noticed a decrease in the crosswind and an increased sink rate. The airplane traveled to the left side of the airstrip where it contacted high brush. The airplane yawed further to the left where it contacted trees resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported he was landing on runway 36 when the accident occurred. He listened to the automated weather reporting station from an airport 13 miles away and the wind was reported as being from 350 degrees at 5 knots. He stated he established a crab angle to compensate for the wind while on final approach. Upon reaching an altitude of 50 feet above the ground, he noticed a decrease in the crosswind and an increased sink rate. The airplane traveled to the left side of the airstrip where it contacted high brush. The airplane yawed further to the left where it contacted trees resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3510Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17261656
- Built
- 1973
- Airframe hours
- 3,709
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 18, 2014 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- RAC · Racine, WI
- Destination
- RAC · Oxford, WI
- Airport
- RAC · Polish Paradise Airport, runway 36, 2,000 × 40 ft, grass/turf
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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 3, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,195 total · 2,055 in this make and model · 2,060 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- DLL, 13 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 999 KB 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.