- Date
- February 26, 2020, 13:55 local (18:55 UTC)
- Place
- Everglades City, FL
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N291RPCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200226004269A
- Case key
- 101015
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 airplane control during the landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in the left wing striking the runway.
Findings · 4
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
According to the pilot, while on final approach to the runway and about 3 to 4 ft above ground level, the airplane encountered a "strong gust cross wind" from the right, which resulted in the left wing striking the runway and sustaining substantial damage. The pilot reduced engine power and landed the airplane without further incident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, while on final approach to runway 15, about 5 ft above the runway, a "strong gust of crosswind" from the right resulted in the airplane's left wing striking the runway. The pilot reduced engine power and landed the airplane without further anomaly. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N291RP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (P)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274327
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 11,202.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 28, 2019
- Departed
- TMB · Miami, FL
- Destination
- X01 · Everglades City, FL
- Airport
- X01 · Everglades Airpark, runway 15, 2,400 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 23, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 7,498 total · 256 in this make and model · 143 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- MKY, 18 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 7, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.0 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.
Other investigations on N291RP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.