# NTSB ERA11LA168: Cessna 172N, N739NY, Welch, WV, February 27, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 27, 2011, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Welch, WV - Coordinates: 37.416667, -81.523887 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4167&lon=-81.5239&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report December 19, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 78448 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11LA168 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78448/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78448 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA168 ## Probable cause The unlicensed pilot’s decision to land on a closed runway with a tailwind, his failure to attain the proper touchdown point, and his delayed decision to attempt a go-around, resulting in a collision with trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 400 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR go-around: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 134 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The unlicensed pilot was practicing landings with a tailwind in the traffic pattern at a closed airport in an unregistered airplane. The pilot refused to provide a statement, but a witness stated that the airplane was too fast on landing and too slow on climbout after the landing was aborted. The airplane struck trees at the departure end of the runway, and then settled into trees below the elevated runway. A postcrash examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On February 27, 2011, about 1630 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172N, N739NY, was substantially damaged during collision with trees and terrain following an aborted landing on runway 09 at Welch Municipal Airport (I25), Welch, West Virginia. The non-certificated pilot and the passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot, whose student pilot certificate was expired, refused to provide a statement to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded, and he did not respond to telephone calls or letters from both the Safety Board and the FAA. One witness, the pilot’s brother, stated the airplane was performing traffic patterns at the airport when the accident occurred. The airplane was “too fast” on approach to the elevated runway, and the landing was aborted. The airplane was “too slow” on climb-out, struck trees at the departure end, and descended “a few hundred feet” into tall trees in the valley below. Examination of the airplane at the accident site by the FAA inspector revealed scattered pieces of angularly cut wood, and no evidence of pre-impact mechanical anomalies. According to FAA records, the airplane was registered to an individual in Georgia, but the airplane had been purchased by the pilot about a week prior to the accident. The most recent annual inspection was performed June 1, 2010, at 5,572 total aircraft hours. At 1642, the weather reported at Bluefield, West Virginia, 20 miles southeast of I25, included wind from 230 degrees at 9 knots. The Welch Municipal Airport was closed on March 15, 2007. The status of the airport was posted in the Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) and the runways were marked closed. City officials reported the pilot has operated aircraft from the airport since its closure and has continued to do so since the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N739NY](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N739NY-2018-01-26), registration cancelled 2018-01-26, S/N 17270685, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17270685 - Airframe hours: 5572 - Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Samuel Hazzard, Jr - Registered owner: Gilbert Joseph S - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2010 - Departed: I25, Welch, WV - Destination: I25, Welch, WV - Airport: I25, Welch Municipal, runway 09, 2,695 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: serious; medical: class 3; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,800 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: I16, 20 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 20110227006549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110227006549A), Feb 27, 2011: Cessna 172N, Welch, WV, Destroyed. Attempting a landing on the east bound runway at Welch airport when the pilot attempted a "go around". During this attempted go around the aircraft struck… ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78448. 5.3 MB in all. - Memorandum for Record - NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353241&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353164&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Record of Interview: Passenger (item 3, .PDF, 15 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353155&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview%3A%20Passenger-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation: Mayor (item 4, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353157&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%3A%20Mayor-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation: State Trooper (item 5, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353158&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%3A%20State%20Trooper-Master.PDF - View of Accident Site (item 6, .PDF, 149 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353162&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=View%20of%20Accident%20Site-Master.PDF - Airport Eviction Correspondence (item 7, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353161&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Eviction%20Correspondence-Redacted.PDF - Airport Information (item 8, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353163&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Information-Master.PDF - BLF Weather Observations (item 9, .PDF, 146 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353191&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=BLF%20Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Photos (Courtesy FAA) (item 10, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40345260&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos%20(Courtesy%20FAA)-Master.PDF 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.