- Date
- January 21, 1997, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Gaylord, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3128FCessna 182J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970121045899A
- Case key
- 10517
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 student pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions which resulted in a failure to maintain proper runway alignment. Factors associated with the accident were: the gusty, crosswind condition, the pilot's failure to perform a go-around, and the snowbank.
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 student pilot, who was on a solo cross country flight, stated that smoke from smoke stacks south of the airport indicated that the winds were out of the east. He stated that on final approach to runway 9 he realized he had a 'good crosswind' as it was difficult for him to maintain runway alignment. Shortly after touchdown, the airplane contacted a snowbank along the left side of the runway. The pilot reported local winds were from 120 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 28 knots.
Factual narrative
On January 21, 1997, at 1000 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182, N3128F, registered to the Iosco Flying Club and flown by a solo student pilot, collided with a snowbank while landing at the Gaylord Otsego County Regional Airport, Gaylord, Michigan. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo cross country flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot was not injured. The last leg of the cross country originated from Rogers City, Michigan, at 0915 est.
The pilot reported that 12 to 15 miles from the airport he called the Unicom and requested winds and landing information, but was unable to get a response. He stated that smoke from smoke stacks south of the airport indicated winds were from the east. He entered the traffic pattern for runway 09 and stated that while on the downwind leg the airplane was "starting to bounce around." He continued to report that as he turned final he realized he had a "pretty good crosswind." He reported that the airplane was blown to the left of the runway and he was able to correct back to the center. He reported, "The closer I got to the ground the more radical the control inputs became. As I crossed the threshold I chopped the power. At this point I was getting blown left, but felt I could still land. As I flared I was way left." The airplane touched down and collided with a plowed snowbank along the left side of the runway.
The student reported that the local winds at the airport were from 120 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 28 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3128F
- Reported as
- Cessna 182J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 182-57228
- Airframe hours
- 4,080
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Iosco Flying Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 3, 1996 · 282 hours before
- Departed
- PZQ · Rogers City, MI
- Destination
- GLR
- Airport
- GLR · Gaylord Otsego County, runway 9, 6,500 × 100 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
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 45 total · 25 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 16 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PLN, 37 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.