- Date
- February 17, 2002, 19:10 local (Feb 18, 2002, 01:10 UTC)
- Place
- Hackensack, MN
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1463FCessna 172H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA - Minneapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020217002269A
- Case key
- 54229
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 winds conditions which resulted in the failure to maintain directional control of the airplane. Factors associated with the accident were the gusty crosswind conditions and the trees alongside the runway which the airplane contacted.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that when nearing his destination, he listened to the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) at the Pine River Airport. He stated the AWOS reported the winds were from 150 to 160 degrees at 12 to 14 knots, with gusts of 18 to 20 knots. He reported he continued to monitor the AWOS and the "conditions trended toward improvement with velocity dropping and gusts disappearing from time to time." The pilot reported the airplane was lined up with runway 14 for landing, when at an altitude of 5 to 8 feet above the runway, a "strong" gust of wind moved the airplane to the right. He reported that he applied power to go around, but at an altitude of about 20 feet above the ground, the right wing of the airplane contacted trees alongside the runway. The airplane turned approximately 90 degrees to the right and settled to the ground in an upright position. The pilot reported the trees were approximately 50 feet off the side of the runway.
Factual narrative
On February 17, 2002, at 1910 central standard time, a Cessna 172H, N1463F, operated by a private pilot, collided with trees and the terrain during a go-around on runway 14 (2,000 feet by 40 feet, asphalt) at the Webb Lake Airport, Hackensack, Minnesota. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from Crystal, Minnesota, at 1745.
The pilot reported that when nearing his destination, he began listening to the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) at the Pine River Airport. He stated the AWOS reported the winds were from 150 to 160 degrees at 12 to 14 knots, with gusts of 18 to 20 knots. He reported he continued to monitor the AWOS and the "conditions trended toward improvement with velocity dropping and gusts disappearing from time to time." The pilot reported the airplane was lined up with runway 14 for landing, when at an altitude of 5 to 8 feet above the runway, a "strong" gust of wind moved the airplane to the right. He reported that he applied power to go around, but at an altitude of about 20 feet above the ground, the right wing of the airplane contacted trees alongside the runway. The airplane turned approximately 90 degrees to the right and settled to the ground in an upright position.
The pilot reported the trees were approximately 50 feet off the side of the runway and that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1463F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-54958-H
- Airframe hours
- 2,081
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John D. Justad, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 21, 2001 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- MIC · Crystal, MN
- Destination
- MN00 · Hackensack, MN
- Airport
- MN00 · Webb Lake, runway 14, 2,000 × 40 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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 509 total · 494 in this make and model · 475 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 150° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- PWC, 14 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 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.