# NTSB DEN04CA097: Cessna 172E, N3581S, La Junta, CO, July 4, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 4, 2004, 07:45 local (13:45 UTC) - Place: La Junta, CO - Coordinates: 38.051387, -103.843887 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0514&lon=-103.8439&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 59570 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04CA097 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59570/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04CA097 ## Probable cause the student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and adequate airspeed during the go-around resulting in an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was the low airspeed and altitude. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, go-around (vfr) - airspeed - low, pilot in command (contributing factor) - altitude - low, pilot in command (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis According to the pilot, he had soloed the previous week, and he wanted to practice takeoffs and landings. He said he was uncomfortable with his landing approach to the runway, and elected to make a go-around. The airplane was at a low airspeed when he applied full power, and it yawed to the left. The pilot said the airplane stalled and impacted terrain on the left side of runway. ## Factual narrative On July 4, 2004, approximately 0745 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172E, N3581S, registered to and operated by Prairie Flyers, Inc., of Rocky Ford, Colorado, was destroyed when it collided with terrain during an attempted go-around at the La Junta Municipal Airport, La Junta, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The training flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The local flight originated at 0730. In a telephone interview with, and according to the report submitted by, the pilot, he said he had soloed the previous week, and he wanted to practice takeoffs and landings. He was uncomfortable with his landing approach to runway 30, and elected to make a go-around. The airplane was at a low airspeed when he applied full power, and it yawed to the left. The pilot said the airplane stalled and impacted terrain on the left side of runway 30, between runways 08 and 30. The engine was torn away from the airframe, the landing gear buckled the fuselage, the left wing and the left and right horizontal stabilizers were crushed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3581S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3581S-2005-03-03), registration cancelled 2005-03-03, S/N 17250781, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172E - Registry model: [Cessna 172E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172e) (registry code 2072412) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17250781 - Airframe hours: 4597 - Engines: Continental O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Prairie Flyers, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 16, 2004, 62 hours before - Departed: LHX, La Junta, OH - Destination: LHX - Airport: LHX, La Junta Muni, runway 30, 5,800 × 60 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 51; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: LHX, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040704014049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040704014049A), Jul 4, 2004: Cessna 172E, La Junta, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) On 04 July 2004 at approximately 0745 local time, N3581S, a Cessna 172E, piloted by Mr. Gary caldwell, impacted the ground between runway 26 and 30 at La… 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.