# NTSB CEN19LA107: Cessna R172E, N7879N, Loveland, CO, March 23, 2019

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 23, 2019, 10:43 local (16:43 UTC)
- Place: Loveland, CO
- Coordinates: 40.451946, -105.01139 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4519&lon=-105.0114&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report September 27, 2019
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 99171
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA107
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99171/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99171
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA107

## Probable cause

An inflight loss of control on landing approach due to encountering a down-draft, and the pilot's failure to take timely action to abandon the approach and perform a go-around.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md)
- [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md)
- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern base: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

As the pilot approached the airport, another pilot heard him on the radio and advised him of "significant down drafts" on the approach to runway 15. The pilot acknowledged the transmission and continued his approach. When he turned onto the base leg, he encountered the "severe down-draft/microburst" the other pilot had mentioned. He applied full power in an attempt to climb out, but the airplane continued to descend striking a power-line and tree, and subsequently impacted terrain. A review of the weather showed that a complex wind pattern existed over the area during the period with a wind shift occurring immediately after the time of the accident. No support for convective microburst activity was noted over the area; however, a large area of light intensity precipitation with some potential for some outflow was noted, which could have been resulted in the different winds occurring over the accident site during the period. In addition, the High Resolution Rapid Refresh model sounding and satellite imagery and pilot reports noted support for mountain wave activity over the area, which supported downslope winds and downdraft activity in the area at the time of the accident. The National Weather Service had AIRMET advisories for turbulence and IFR and mountain obscuration conditions over the area, but no advisory for low-level wind shear. It is likely the pilot encountered shifting winds due to weather system in the area. With his reduced engine power on the base leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot most likely got into a downdraft that produced a sink rate that he could not recover from.

## Factual narrative

On March 23, 2019, at 1043 mountain daylight time, a Cessna R172E, N7879N, was destroyed when it struck a power line and impacted a dairy farm 1.5 miles northwest of runway 15 at Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL), Loveland, Colorado. The pilot was seriously injured and his two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to the U.S. Air Force and operated by the Peterson Air Force Base (AFB) Aero Club, Peterson AFB, Colorado, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal cross-country flight. The flight originated from the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), and was en route to FNL. The pilot, a 10-year U.S. Army UH-60M Blackhawk helicopter pilot, said he was accumulating fixed-wing civilian flight time and had brought along two passengers. According to the pilot, he and his passengers intended to fly from COS to FNL and return. He said he was weather briefed for the flight and received multiple weather briefings before takeoff. As they approached FNL from the southwest, he made a call on FNL's common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) and reported he was entering a right traffic pattern for runway 15. Another pilot heard the report and advised him of "significant down drafts" on the approach to runway 15. The pilot acknowledged the transmission and continued his approach. When he turned onto the base leg, he encountered the "severe down-draft/microburst" the other pilot had mentioned. He applied full power in an attempt to climb out, but the airplane struck a power-line and tree, and impacted terrain. At 1056, the automated weather observation station at FNL reported, wind 170° at 11 kts, visibility of 10 miles, light rain, few clouds at 1,600 ft, ceilings 3,800 ft broken, 4,800 ft overcast, temperature 43° F, dew point 36° F, and altimeter setting 29.93 inches of Mercury. A NTSB Meteorologist's review of the weather showed that a complex wind pattern existed over the area during the period with a wind shift occurring immediately after the time of the accident. No support for convective microburst activity was noted over the area; however, a large area of light intensity precipitation with some potential for some outflow was noted, which could have been resulted in the different winds occurring over the accident site during the period. In addition, the High Resolution Rapid Refresh model sounding and satellite imagery and pilot reports noted support for mountain wave activity over the area, which supported downslope winds and downdraft activity in the area at the time of the accident. The National Weather Service had AIRMET advisories for turbulence and IFR and mountain obscuration conditions over the area, but no advisory for low-level wind shear.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7879N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7879N-2022-01-08), registration cancelled 2022-01-08, S/N R172-0270, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna R172E
- Registry model: [Cessna R172E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172e) (registry code 2072413) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: R172-0270
- Year built: 1967
- Airframe hours: 17752.1
- Engines: Continental IO-360-DB 210 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 2, 2019, 44.3 hours before
- Departed: COS, Colorado Sprngs, CO
- Destination: FNL, Loveland, CO
- Flight plan: Military VFR
- Airport: FNL, Northern Colorado Regional, runway 15, 8,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 31; injuries: serious; private, military, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 11, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,235 total, 52 in this make and model, 31 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,800 ft broken
- Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observed at: fnl, 3 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20190323001859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190323001859A), Mar 23, 2019: Cessna R172E, Loveland, CO, Substantial damage. On final for landing to kfnl, rwy 15 aircraft experienced down draft/micro burst. Pilot attempted climb out with full power but lost control of aircraft.…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 27, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99171. 3.1 MB in all.

- Pilot's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473835&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Witness Statements (item 2, .PDF, 881 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473836&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements%20-Master.PDF
- Wreckage Diagram (item 3, .PDF, 229 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473837&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Wreckage%20Diagram-Master.PDF
- Weather Report Pertinent to the Investigation (item 4, .PDF, 40 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473838&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report%20Pertinent%20to%20the%20Investigation-Master.PDF
- NTSB Meteorologist's Area Weather Brief (item 5, .PDF, 941 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473840&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Meteorologist%27s%20Area%20Weather%20Brief-Master.PDF
- Report Photos (item 6, .PDF, 963 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473841&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20Photos-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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