ERA13CA218

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172P · Davis, WV · April 26, 2013

Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 26, 2013, 12:40 local (16:40 UTC)
Place
Davis, WV
Injuries
3 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N96178Cessna 172P
Defining event
Initial climb: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 13, 2013
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20130426005739A
Case key
86747

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot’s improper glidepath as he approached the runway and his subsequent delayed decision to abort the landing.

Findings · 2

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.

Action: delayed actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotCessna 172P: 9 casesAll aircraft: 894 casesProbable cause

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

At the end of a cross-country flight, the pilot entered the traffic pattern for the 3,000-foot-long by 40-foot-wide runway at the residential airpark. The pilot stated that because he was concerned about the houses located near the runway, he approached the runway higher and faster than he normally would. As a result, the airplane touched down near the runway mid-point. When he realized that insufficient distance remained to stop the airplane, the pilot aborted the landing. During the subsequent climb, the pilot heard the stall warning sound and decreased the pitch attitude to gain airspeed. About that time, the airplane struck trees beyond the departure end of the runway and impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airframe or engine what would have precluded normal operation and that his decision to abort the landing was “about 5 seconds too late.”

Factual narrative

At the conclusion of the cross-country flight, the pilot entered the traffic pattern for the 3,000-foot long by 40-foot wide runway at the residential airpark. The pilot was concerned by the houses located near the runway, so he approached higher and faster than was customary. The airplane subsequently touched down near the runway mid-point, and realizing that insufficient distance remained to stop the airplane, the pilot aborted the landing. During the climb the pilot heard the stall warning sound and decreased the pitch attitude to gain airspeed. About that time the airplane struck trees beyond the departure end of the runway and subsequently impacted the ground. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airframe or engine what would have precluded normal operation, and that his decision to abort the landing was “about 5 seconds too late.”

Aircraft

Registration
N96178
Reported as
Cessna 172P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17276033
Airframe hours
8,223
Engine
Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Mclean Holding Group LLC
Registered owner
Mclean Holding Group LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
Last inspection
Annual · November 20, 2012 · 78 hours before
Departed
JYO · Leesburg, VA
Destination
WV62 · Davis, WV
Airport
WV62 · Windwood Fly-In Resort Airport, runway 06, 3,000 × 40 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
46
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
March 5, 2013
Seat
Left
Flight hours
136 total · 136 in this make and model · 38 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
110° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
59 °F, dew point 36 °F
Altimeter
30.43 inHg
Observed at
W99, 14 nm away

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 23, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.9 MB 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.