- Date
- April 30, 2011, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Suchez, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N12839Cessna 172M
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110430007459A
- Case key
- 78998
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 failure of the pilot to initiate a go-around and his excessive airspeed on the final landing approach.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he overflew the airstrip to observe the windsock and noted that the wind favored runway 2, which was a 2,000 foot-long grass runway. He flew an approach to that runway, but executed a go-around because the airplane was too high. He remained in the traffic pattern and the airplane touched down at a point 800 to 1,000 feet from the approach end of the runway at 90 mph that was about 20 mph faster than normal. He later stated that at touchdown the wind shifted. After touchdown on the wet grass, he applied the brakes but the airplane would not stop. Because he was too far down the runway to perform a go-around, he continued on the ground with the brakes applied. The airplane traveled off the end of the runway where the right wing collided with a fence. The airplane then traveled through a ditch and came to rest upright in a field. The pilot reported that there was no preimpact failure or malfunction with the airplane or its systems. Postaccident inspection of the airplane and airstrip revealed damage to the right wing, including the lift strut. Marks on the runway revealed the airplane touched down about 800 feet before the departure end of the runway.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he had overflew the airstrip to observe the windsock and noted that the wind favored runway 02, which is a 2,000 foot-long grass runway. He flew an approach to that runway, but executed a go-around because the flight was too high. He remained in the traffic pattern and with the flaps set to 40 degrees, the airplane touched down at a point 800 to 1,000 feet from the approach end of the runway at 90 mph; he typically lands at 70 mph. He later stated that at touchdown, the wind shifted. After touchdown on the grass which was wet, he applied the brakes but the airplane would not stop. Because he was too far down the runway to perform a go-around, he continued on the ground with the brakes applied. The airplane traveled off the end of the runway where the right wing collided with a fence. The airplane then traveled through a ditch and came to rest upright in a field. The pilot reported there was no preimpact failure or malfunction with the airplane or its systems. Postaccident inspection of the airplane and airstrip by a FAA inspector revealed damage to the right wing including the lift strut. Marks on the runway revealed the airplane touched down about 800 feet before the departure end of the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N12839
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17262303
- Airframe hours
- 7,473
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Roy D. Harris
- Registered owner
- Roy D. Harris
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 7, 2011
- Departed
- DZJ · Blairesville, GA
- Destination
- GA87 · Suchez, GA
- Airport
- GA87 · High Valley Airpark, runway 02, 2,000 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 2, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,700 total · 2,800 in this make and model · 3,700 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- GVL, 27 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 678 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.