# NTSB ERA20CA256: Cessna 172, N1655V, Wellington, FL, July 19, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 19, 2020, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Wellington, FL - Coordinates: 26.646667, -80.294998 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.6467&lon=-80.2950&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101624 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA256 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101624/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101624 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA256 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate compensation for a wind gust during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 123 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/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: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis During a local flight, the pilot reported that the wind at the airport was light and variable. After flying a normal traffic pattern, she crossed the runway threshold on final approach and reduced the power to land. Upon touchdown, the airplane “was hit by a strong gust of wind.” The airplane then pitched up to a “very high nose up attitude.” The stall warning horn activated and the pilot attempted to recover; however, the airplane impacted the runway in a nose low attitude, seriously injuring the pilot and substantially damaging to the forward portion of the airplane’s fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1655V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1655V-2021-11-20), registration cancelled 2021-11-20, S/N 17263704, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (M) - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17263704 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 3824 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 11, 2020 - Departed: FD38, Wellington, FL - Destination: FD38, Wellington, FL - Airport: FD38, Wellington Aero Club A/P, runway 16, 4,055 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 27, 2019; seat: left; flight hours: 72 total, 72 in this make and model, 30 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 13 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,900 ft broken - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 77 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KPBI, 11 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 20200719010099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200719010099A), Jul 19, 2020: Cessna 172M, Wellington, FL, Destroyed. Pilot under part 91 operating Cessna CE-172M, serial number 17263704, registration N1655V experienced a hard landing at the Wellington Aero Club (FD38) runway… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 12, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101624. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 773 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10092622&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=1%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's written statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10092977&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=2%20Pilot%20Written%20Statement-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10093396&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=3%20Inspector%20Statement%20N1655V_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Excerpts - airframe logbook (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 731 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10093090&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=4%20Airframe%20Log_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Excerpts - engine logbook (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 733 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10093204&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=5%20Engine%20Log_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 298 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10093305&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6%20Photo%20Array-Rel.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.