- Date
- January 17, 2007, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- La Salle, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1670VCessna 120
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- Case key
- 65187
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 maintain clearance from the ground. Contributing factors included the pilot's intentional low pass and his misjudging his altitude.
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 said he was "dragging" the airstrip, or flying low over the runway to ascertain its condition. He allowed the airplane to get too low. The wheels contacted the deep snow and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed a buckled right lift strut and a crushed vertical fin and rudder.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he was "dragging" the snow covered airstrip, or flying low over the runway to ascertain its condition. He allowed the airplane to get too low. The wheels contacted the deep snow and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed a buckled right lift strut and a crushed vertical fin and rudder.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1670V
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 13842
- Airframe hours
- 4,230
- Engine
- Continental C-85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Johnathan P. Lemley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2006 · 130 hours before
- Departed
- GXY · Greeley, CO
- Destination
- GXY
- Airport
- NONE · Low Level Ag Airstrip, runway 11, 3,000 × 40 ft, dirt
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
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 416 total · 196 in this make and model · 395 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 16 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- GXY