- Date
- January 30, 1998, 08:35 local (15:35 UTC)
- Place
- Laramie, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6926ACessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980130002769A
- Case key
- 20530
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 improper flare and subsequent improper go-around in that he failed to use compensating elevator control, and his loss of directional control.
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 had made one touch-and-go landing, and was making a second approach. He flared too high above the ground and added power to cushion the landing. He failed to hold compensating elevator control and the nose pitched up. He applied full power to abort the landing and the nose rose even further. The airplane started 'a moderate left turn' and the pilot corrected to parallel the runway, maintaining 'a very steep angle of attack.' He was able to land the airplane and taxied back to the maintenance hangar. Postaccident inspection disclosed the right wing tip and lower portion of the rudder were damaged.
Factual narrative
On January 30, 1998, approximately 0835 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172, N6926A, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Laramie, Wyoming. The student pilot, the only occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated approximately 0820.
The following is based on a telephone interview with the pilot, and the written aircraft accident report he submitted. The pilot had made one touch and go landing, and was approaching runway 21 for a second touch and go landing. He flared too high above the ground and added power to cushion the landing. He failed to hold compensating elevator control and the nose pitched up. He applied full power to abort the landing and the nose rose even further. The airplane started "a moderate left turn" and the pilot corrected to parallel the runway, maintaining "a very steep angle of attack." He was able to land the airplane and taxied back to the maintenance hangar. Postaccident inspection disclosed the right wing tip and lower portion of the rudder were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6926A
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29026
- Airframe hours
- 3,704
- Engine
- Continental O-300-A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Wesley R. & Lurlen Bressler
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 27, 1997 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- LAR
- Airport
- LAR · Laramie Regional, runway 21, 7,700 × 150 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
- 59
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 45 total · 45 in this make and model · 12 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.