- Date
- August 22, 1991, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Harbor Springs, MI
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3891SCessna 172E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910822036199A
- Case key
- 15162
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 failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was his delay in initiating the go-around.
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 was attempting to land in gusty crosswind conditions. He said that while on final approach the wind seemed to diminish and shift to a direct headwind. During the landing flare a wind gust moved the airplane away from the runway. The pilot attempted a go around, but was unable to maintain control of the airplane and 'pancaked' into the ground alongside the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3891S
- Reported as
- Cessna 172E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-51091
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hulift Aero, Inc.
- Departed
- PTK · Waterford, MI
- Airport
- D87 · Harbor Springs, runway 28, 4,157 × 60 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
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 155 total · 96 in this make and model · 104 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3891S · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.