ERA22FA161

The pilot obtained his private pilot certificate about 1 year prior to the accident and had accumulated a total flight experience of approximately 94 hours at the time of the accident. Toward the end of the cross-country flight, the pilot flew a straight-in approach to a valley airport. The airplane made a high speed approach (about 95 knots true airspeed) with the flaps retracted. Witnesses reported that the airplane touched down and bounced twice on its nose landing gear. When the airplane was toward the end of the runway, engine noise increased, and the airplane began a climbing left turn to clear trees. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The debris path and impact signatures were consistent with an aerodynamic stall. Based on the evidence, the pilot likely made a delayed decision to perform a go-around after touchdown and exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack as the airplane began the climbing left turn to avoid trees.

A copy of the security video footage was forwarded to the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC (for more information, see Video Study in the public docket for this accident). On March 19, 2022, about 1852 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172H, N1410F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Dahlonega, Georgia. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Review of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the airplane departed Athens Ben Epps Airport (AHN), Athens, Georgia, about 1817. According to the ADS B data, witness reports, and a video from an off-airport security camera, the airplane flew a straight-in approach to runway 33 at Lumpkin County-Wimpy’s Airport (9A0), Dahlonega, Georgia. Two witnesses stated that the airplane approached “fast” with the flaps retracted. ADS-B data showed that the groundspeed was about 85 knots. The airplane touched down on the runway and bounced twice on its nose landing gear. When the airplane was toward the end of the runway, the engine noise increased, and the airplane began a climbing left turn to clear trees, which was followed by the sound of impact. The airplane wreckage was located in a residential yard beyond the end of the runway. The weather reporting station nearest to the accident site, about 20 nautical miles southeast, reported winds from 290° at 13 knots, gusting to 22 knots. Given the runway orientation, wind from 290° would have resulted in a left quartering headwind for the pilot’s straight-in approach. Witnesses at the airport reported “calm,” “very light,” or “little to no" wind about the time of the accident, with one noting that the pilot may not have known that “the winds blowing earlier in the day had died down.” No evidence indicated that the pilot received a weather briefing before the flight. The pilot obtained his private pilot certificate about 1 year before the accident and had accumulated about 94 hours of total flight experience at the time of the accident. The wreckage came to rest upright oriented on a magnetic heading of about 120°. Both wing tanks were breached, and a strong smell of fuel was present at the accident site. A 65-ft debris path was observed along a magnetic heading of 270°. the debris path began with tree scars that were at a height of about 50 ft. A branch recovered along the debris path exhibited a 45° cut with gray paint transfer. A crater that was about 3 ft long, 2ft wide, and 1 ft deep was observed along the debris path about 10 ft from the wreckage. The wreckage remained intact. Both wings exhibited leading-edge damage; the left wing exhibited more damage outboard. The flaps and ailerons remained attached to their respective wing. The empennage remained intact and was canted to the left; it was undamaged except for left horizontal stabilizer leading-edge damage. Flightcontrol continuity was confirmed from all flight control surfaces to the cabin area. Measurement of the flap actuator corresponded to flaps in the retracted position. Measurement of the elevator trim jackscrew corresponded to a 10° trim-tab-up position; the trim wheel in the cockpit was set at the neutral/takeoff position. The cockpit area was crushed. GPS data were recovered from a ForeFlight application on the pilot’s iPad. The engine remained attached to the airframe, and the propeller remained attached to the engine. Both propeller blades exhibited chordwise scratching and leading-edge gouging. The propeller was able to be rotated by hand. Crankshaft, camshaft, and valve train continuity were confirmed, and thumb compression was attained on all cylinders. Both magnetos were rotated by hand and produced spark at all leads. The carburetor was disassembled, and its components remained intact. Examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions.