- Date
- March 18, 2005, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Rio Grande City, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6372DCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050318004819A
- Case key
- 61177
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 objects, and his improper compensation for wind conditions while landing. A contributing factor was the gusty wind condition.
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 1,561-hour pilot reported that while on a visual approach for landing, the airplane encountered a gust of wind, and the airplane started to "sink." Subsequently, the right main landing gear struck the top of a fence post at the approach end of the dirt runway. The pilot stated that after the collision, he noticed that the right main landing gear was separated. As the pilot landed the airplane, it veered to the right off the runway and the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer struck the ground.
Factual narrative
On March 18, approximately 0845 central standard time, a Cessna 172N single-engine airplane, N6372D, was substantially damaged following an in-flight collision with an object while landing at a private airstrip near Rio Grande City, Texas. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the private airstrip at 0815.
During a telephone interview conducted by a representative of the NTSB, the 1,561-hour pilot reported that while on a visual approach for landing, the airplane encountered a gust of wind, and the airplane started to "sink." Subsequently, the right main landing gear struck the top of a fence post at the approach end of the 2,000-foot long dirt runway. The pilot stated that after the collision, he noticed that the right main landing gear was separated. As the pilot landed the airplane, it veered to the right off the runway and the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer struck the ground. The airplane came to rest upright adjacent to the runway in a right wing low attitude.
Examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed the outboard tip of the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer were bent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6372D
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272758
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Edward Alvord
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Rio Grande City, TX
- Airport
- NONE · Private Airstrip, runway 220, 2,000 × 60 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
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,561 total · 250 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- MFE, 200 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.