- Date
- July 22, 1999, 08:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place
- Peyton, CO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5696TCessna 172E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 12, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990722009859A
- Case key
- 46916
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 directional control of the aircraft during landing touchdown. Factors were the crosswind and the ditch.
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 performed two landings on runway 15, then practiced another two landings on runway 33 after the runway was switched. During his final full stop landing on runway 33, he encountered a crosswind during final approach. Immediately after the main wheels touched down, the aircraft encountered a 'strong crosswind,' causing it to exit the runway to the left and onto the grass. The airplane impacted a ditch, sustaining damage to the propeller, engine, nose landing gear, left wingtip, and firewall. Winds reported at the nearest weather reporting facility were from 340 degrees at 8 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 22, 1999, approximately 0850 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172E, N5696T, was substantially damaged when the aircraft collided with terrain during landing roll at Meadow Lake Airport, Peyton, Colorado. The student pilot, the sole occupant aboard, received minor injuries. No flight plan had been filed for the local area instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at 0710.
According to the pilot, he made three touch and go landings at the airport, then departed the traffic pattern to perform a variety of maneuvers in the practice area. At approximately 0830, he returned to the airport to practice additional touch and go landings. He made two landings on runway 15, then performed another two landings on runway 33 when the runway was switched.
The pilot stated that during the final full stop landing on runway 33, he encountered a left crosswind during final approach. He applied right rudder and left aileron to stabilize the aircraft. Immediately after the main wheels touched down, the aircraft encountered a "strong crosswind," causing it to depart the runway to the left and onto the grass. The airplane impacted a ditch, sustaining damage to the propeller, engine, nose landing gear, left wingtip, and firewall.
At 0854, weather conditions at the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, located 10.4 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, were reported as winds from 340 degrees at 8 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5696T
- Reported as
- Cessna 172E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17257596
- Airframe hours
- 5,449
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Blue Goose Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 25, 1966 · 99 hours before
- Departed
- 00V
- Airport
- 00V · Meadow Lake Airport, runway 33, 6,000 × 60 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
- 22
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 24 total · 24 in this make and model · 24 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- COS, 10 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.