- Date
- October 13, 1994, 14:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Farmington, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N20384Cessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941013035109A
- Case key
- 19284
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors were wind shear, crosswinds, and gusts.
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
The pilot made a normal no-flap approach and landing on runway 7. ATIS reported that the wind was from 110 degrees at 20 knots with gusts to 30 knots, and a wind shear alert was in effect. After the airplane touched down, a strong wind gust caused the nose to pitch up. The pilot applied full power in an attempt to go around, but the nose pitched down, the airplane struck the ground and the nose wheel collapsed.
Factual narrative
On October 13, 1994, at 1440 mountain daylight time, N20384, a Cessna 172M, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Farmington, New Mexico. The airline transport rated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The following is based on the pilot's report. He made a normal no-flap approach and landing on runway 07, using the VASI (visual approach slope indicator). The wind was reported to be from 100 degrees at 18 knots, then changed to be variable from 090 degrees to 110 degrees at 20 knots and gusting. After touching down, a strong wind gust caused the nose to pitch up. He applied full power in an attempt to go around, but the nose pitched down. The nosewheel struck the ground and collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a halt.
ATIS (automatic terminal information service) information Uniform was current at the time of the accident. According to the broadcast, the wind was from 110 degrees at 20 knots, with gusts to 30 knots, and a wind shear alert was in effect.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20384
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17261244
- Airframe hours
- 2,400
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sleater, Keith L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1994 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- VGT · Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- FMN
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- FMN · Four Corners Regional, runway 7, 6,702 × 100 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
- 64
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 33,500 total · 100 in this make and model · 30,000 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FMN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.