# NTSB GAA16LA001: Cessna 172B, N7837X, Redding, CA, October 3, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 3, 2015, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Redding, CA - Coordinates: 40.568054, -122.404724 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5681&lon=-122.4047&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 3, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 92119 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16LA001 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92119/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92119 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16LA001 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper decision to land the airplane on a short runway with a tailwind and his subsequent delayed decision to abort the landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Aircraft capability: landing distance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061030): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061030/cases.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 68 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061030/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot reported that, while landing after a cross-country flight, the landing roll seemed "fast" even though the airplane touched down "not far" past the runway numbers. The pilot determined that he would not be able to stop the airplane on the remaining runway, so he applied full power and aborted the landing. The airplane was in ground effect as it passed over the departure end of the runway. The pilot thought that the airplane was not going to clear the tree line in its flightpath, so he maneuvered the airplane to land on a dirt road. During the landing roll, the left wing impacted a barbed wire fence. The pilot reported that, during the initial landing, he "landed with a stiff tailwind on a short runway." The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. During the accident, the passenger seated in the front right seat was ejected from the airplane and sustained a serious injury. According to the pilot, the passenger's seat had been in the "full rearward" position, which placed the lap belt attachment points about "mid-thigh" and probably did not allow the shoulder harness to be "tightened securely." ## Factual narrative On October 3, 2015, about 1130 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Cessna 172B airplane, N7837X, struck a barbed wire fence after aborting the landing at Benton Field Airport (O85) about 1 mile west of Redding, California. The private pilot sustained minor injuries and the sole passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR), personal cross-country flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Yuba County Airport (MYV), Yuba City, California about 1030. The pilot reported that the landing roll seemed "fast" despite the fact the airplane touched down "not far passed" the runway numbers. When the pilot determined that he would not be able to stop the airplane on the runway remaining, he applied full power in an attempt to abort the landing. The pilot reported that the airplane was still in ground effect as they passed over the departure end of the runway. He reported that he could see that they were not going to "clear" the tree line in their flight path. The pilot maneuvered to land on a dirt road that was "cut" into the hillside. The pilot reported that as they touched down on the dirt road it was "very loud and rough". During the landing roll the left wing impacted a barbed wire fence. During the accident sequence, the passenger who was seated in the front right seat, was ejected from the airplane, and found about 30 feet from the wreckage. The pilot reported that the passenger's seat and seat belt were both intact and connected. The pilot reported that the passenger's seat was in the "full rearward" position, which placed the lap belt attachment points about "mid-thigh", and probably did not allow the shoulder harness to be "tightened securely". In the operator/owner safety recommendation section of the pilot accident reporting form, the pilot reported "it is clear and obvious to me; I landed with a stiff tailwind on a short runway". The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 6 miles to the southeast, revealed that, at 1153 PDT, conditions were wind 350 degrees true at 12 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and sky clear. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7837X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7837X-2018-03-29), registration cancelled 2018-03-29, S/N 17248337, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172B (B) - Registry model: [Cessna 172B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172b) (registry code 2072406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17248337 - Year built: 1961 - Airframe hours: 5633.21 - Engines: Continental O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2015 - Departed: O52, YUBA CITY, CA - Destination: O85, Redding, CA - Airport: O85, Benton Field, runway 15, 2,420 × 80 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 19, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 587 total, 374.8 in this make and model, 502.5 as pilot in command, 15.1 in the last 90 days, 5.3 in the last 30 days, 1.2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.56 inHg - Observed at: KRDD, 6 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 20151003021159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151003021159A), Oct 3, 2015: Cessna 172B, Benton, CA, Substantial damage. Preliminary information from the pilot: while landing with a tailwind the airplane struck a barb wire fence during aborted landing. Airplane ended up 180… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92119. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 435 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434848&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 2, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434849&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF 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.