# NTSB FTW96LA032: Cessna 175, N7421M, Deer, AR, October 22, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 22, 1995, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Deer, AR - Coordinates: 35.839435, -93.2798 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8394&lon=-93.2798&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 14, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19699 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW96LA032 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19699/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA032 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF A DOWNWIND RUNWAY FOR LANDING. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND AND THE PILOT'S MISINTERPRETATION OF THE WIND CONDITIONS. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) - weather evaluation - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - wrong runway - selected, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - airport facilities,runway overrun area - high vegetation ## Analysis AFTER LOCATING THE 2,000-FOOT GRASS AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT CIRCLED AT 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND ENTERED A LEFT HAND PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 27. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT THE SURFACE WINDS WERE FROM 200 TO 220 DEGREES AT APPROXIMATELY 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND REPORTED ENCOUNTERING SEVERE TURBULENCE AND A DOWNDRAFT PRIOR TO TOUCHING DOWN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MANAGED TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE AND TOUCHED DOWN AT ABOUT THE MIDPOINT OF THE STRIP. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE AIRPLANE; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED BRUSH. THE PILOT STATED THAT 'THE WIND MUST HAVE CHANGED TO A TAILWIND,' AND 'JUST FELT LIKE A DOWNWIND LANDING BUT IT STILL LOOKED LIKE I HAD ROOM TO GET IT STOPPED.' THE WINDS AT HARRISON, ARKANSAS, 29 MILES NORTH, WERE REPORTED FROM 170 DEGREES AT 18 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 26 KNOTS. ## Factual narrative On October 22, 1995, at 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna 175, N7421M, was substantially damaged while landing near Deer, Arkansas. The commercial pilot and his 3 passengers escaped uninjured. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in Dover, Arkansas, at 1400. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross country flight for which a flight plan was not filed. According to the pilot, after locating his destination airport he circled the airport at 1,000 feet above the ground and entered a left hand pattern for runway 27. He configured the airplane for a powered approach with 10 degrees of flaps, while maintaining 65 miles per hour. The pilot further stated that he estimated that the winds were from 200 to 220 degrees at approximately 20 knots. The pilot stated that he encountered moderate turbulence while in the pattern, and "while over the first 1/4 of the runway he encountered severe turbulence and a downdraft"; however, he managed to control the airplane and "touch down about the midfield point." The pilot stated that "the wind must have changed to a tailwind," and "just felt like a downwind landing but it still looked like I had room to get it stopped." The pilot stated that the "tailwind extended my roll out and I went beyond the mowed runway into the rough area." The airplane overran the end of the 2,000 foot mowed grass runway, impacting brush. The nose landing gear collapsed and the engine firewall and the fuselage were damaged. The winds at Harrison, Arkansas, located 29 nautical miles north of the accident site, were reported from 170 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 26 knots. The density altitude was estimated at 3,500 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7421M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7421M), registered now, S/N 55721, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 175 - Registry model: [Cessna 175](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-175) (registry code 2072502) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental GO-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-go-300-series) (registry code 17024, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 55721 - Airframe hours: 2142 - Engines: CONTINENTAL GO-300-A 175 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: F.L. & Bonita J. Mosley - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 6, 1995, 2 hours before - Departed: AR89, DOVER, AR - Airport: NONE, Taylor Airstrip, runway 27, 2,000 × 150 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,075 total, 200 in this make and model, 2,981 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 18 knots, gusting 26 - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: HRO, 29 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 19951022049379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951022049379A), Oct 22, 1995: Cessna 175, Deer, AR, Substantial damage. (-16) Airman and eyewitness accounts indicate airman landed halfway down the 2,000' sod strip in strong gusty surface winds and could not stop in runway… 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.