- Date
- February 21, 2002, 18:15 local (Feb 22, 2002, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6845XCessna 172A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020221001989A
- Case key
- 54241
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 delay in executing a go-around while conducting a simulated emergency landing, which resulted in an in flight collision with terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a full flap practice emergency landing, the pilot allowed the airplane to get too low before initiating a go-around, and the main landing gear touched down on a dirt road. The pilot applied full power; however, the airplane veered to the left, and the left main landing gear struck a berm on the side of the road. The pilot selected partial flaps and continued to execute the go-around. The airplane bounced several times, stalled, and struck the ground. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
On February 21, 2002, approximately 1815 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172A, single-engine airplane, N6854X, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain during the go-around from a simulated emergency landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his passenger did not receive injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight departed Albuquerque at 1730.
On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that the airplane was over flat terrain with sparse scrub brush vegetation and several dirt roads. During the performance of a full flap (40 degrees) practice emergency landing, the pilot allowed the airplane to get "too low" before initiating a go-around, and the main landing gear touched down on a dirt road. The pilot applied full power; however, the airplane veered to the left, and the left main landing gear struck a berm on the side of the road. The pilot selected partial flaps and continued to execute the go-around. The airplane bounced several times, stalled, and struck the ground. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest inverted.
The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, found the airplane resting upside down in an open field. The vertical stabilizer, rudder, and wings were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6845X
- Reported as
- Cessna 172A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 47745
- Airframe hours
- 2,923
- Engine
- Continental O-300-C, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kristopher J. Ecker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 17, 2002 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- ABQ · Albuquerque, NM
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
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- December 19, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 74 total · 74 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.44 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 417 KB 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.