# NTSB DEN03LA052: Cessna 172S, N3544Q, Erie, CO, March 23, 2003

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 23, 2003, 15:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place: Erie, CO
- Coordinates: 40.010276, -105.047775
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0103&lon=-105.0478&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 30, 2003
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 56670
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA052
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56670/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA052

## Probable cause

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during aborted landing. Contributing factors include the crosswind component, and the snow covered muddy terrain.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
- Nose over, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - muddy (contributing factor)

## Analysis

The flight instructor was demonstrating a crosswind landing to her student. She estimated the wind to be from 270 degrees at 15 to 20 knots. After landing on runway 33, the airplane veered to the right. She applied full power in an attempt to abort the landing, but could not return the airplane to the runway centerline. She then closed the throttle.  The airplane departed the runway, settled in snow-covered mud, and nosed over. The left wing lift strut was bent and the wing was buckled.

## Factual narrative

On March 23, 2003, approximately 1550 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172S, N3544Q, operated by Rocky Mountain Flight Consultants, LLC, of Boulder, Colorado, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing at the Tri-County Airport, Erie, Colorado. The commercial certificated flight instructor received no injuries and the student sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Erie approximately 1430.

According to the flight instructor, she was demonstrating a crosswind landing to her student. She estimated the wind to be from 270 degrees at 15 to 20 knots. After landing on runway 33, the airplane veered to the right. She applied full power in an attempt to abort the landing, but could not return the airplane to the runway centerline. She then closed the throttle. The airplane departed the runway, settled in snow-covered mud, and nosed over. The left wing lift strut was bent and the wing was buckled.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N3544Q (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172S
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S8903
- Airframe hours: 569
- Engines: Lycoming I0-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Specialty Flight Training, Inc.
- Registered owner: Rocky Mountain Flight Consultants, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, December 3, 2002, 82 hours before
- Departed: BJC, Broomfield, CO
- Destination: 48V, Erie, CO
- Airport: 48V, Erie Municipal, runway 33, 4,700 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 36; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review July 27, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 948 total, 354 in this make and model, 675 as pilot in command, 72 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; injuries: minor; seat: left; flight hours: 2 total, 2 in this make and model, 2 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observed at: BJC, 9 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 20030323003599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030323003599A), Mar 23, 2003: Cessna 172S, Erie, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) During flight instruction, an approach was made to Tri-County Airport (48V). Due to strong crosswinds, a go-around was executed and the instructor was…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.