- Date
- April 7, 2000, 21:30 local (Apr 8, 2000, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Collins, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N65312Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000407012019A
- Case key
- 48918
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
On ground loss of control resulting in collision with airport markings due to inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing roll. Factors were inaccurate in flight planning by landing with a tail wind component and lack of total pilot experience.
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
At the destination airport on a cross-country flight, the pilot was conducting a practice ILS approach to runway 33. The wind was from 180 degrees at 8 knots. Upon touch down, the aircraft swerved to the right, departed the side of the runway, and struck runway lights and a runway/taxiway sign. Damage was done to the right horizontal stabilizer, empennage, and main landing gear. The pilot had 84 hours total flight time and 55 hours as pilot in command.
Factual narrative
On April 7, 2000, at 2130 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N65312, departed the side of the runway during landing roll at Loveland/Fort Collins Municipal Airport, Loveland, Colorado. The private pilot was not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this personal flight being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Limon, Colorado, at 2030.
According to the pilot, he was conducting a practice ILS (instrument landing system) approach to a full stop landing. When the aircraft touched down, it immediately swerved to the right and departed the side of the runway. During this excursion, the aircraft struck runway lights and a runway/taxiway sign before the pilot brought it to a stop.
The landing was being performed on runway 33 and the wind was from 180 degrees at 8 knots.
Reported damage to the aircraft was to the right horizontal stabilizer, main landing gear, and a crack in the empennage.
The pilot provided information that he had a total of 84 hours flight time, all of which was in the Cessna 172. He had 55 hours as pilot in command, 22 hours night experience, and 21 hours in the last 30 days before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65312
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275728
- Airframe hours
- 7,953
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jeremy A. Hard
- Registered owner
- Lawerence D. Ramsdell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 31, 2000 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- LIC · Limon, CO
- Destination
- FNL
- Airport
- FNL · Loveland/Fort Collins, runway 33, 8,500 × 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
- 20
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 84 total · 84 in this make and model · 55 as pilot in command · 47 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FNL, 1 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.
Other investigations on N65312 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.