- Date
- August 30, 2017, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Belle Fourche, SD
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2982UCessna 172
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 27, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170830014029A
- Case key
- 95921
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 flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a go-around in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that he was demonstrating a "full [aerodynamic] stall" landing for the student pilot in "stiff" gusting crosswind conditions. He added that the airplane crossed the runway threshold at 2 ft, the stall warning sounded, and then a "strong [wind] gust lifted the aircraft to…[approximately] 6 feet with the stall warning still sounding." He further added that he immediately applied power to go around, but the "gust died out." Subsequently, the left wing dropped and impacted terrain, and the airplane nosed over. The fuselage, right wing, and vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station 17 nautical miles southwest from the accident site reported, about the time of the accident, wind from 110° at 12 knots. The landing was on runway 36. The flight instructor failed to submit the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/ Operator Aircraft Accident/ Incident Report.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, he was demonstrating a "full [aerodynamic] stall" landing for the student pilot in "stiff" gusting crosswind conditions. He added that, the airplane crossed the runway threshold at two feet, the stall warning sounded, and then a "strong [wind] gust lifted the aircraft to appx [approximately] 6 feet with the stall warning still sounding." He further added that, he immediately applied power to go-around, but the "gust died out." Subsequently, the left wing dropped, impacted terrain, and the airplane nosed over. The fuselage, right wing, and vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor did not report that there were any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, about the time of the accident, 17 nautical miles southwest from the accident site, reported wind from 110° at 12 knots. The landing was on runway 36. The flight instructor failed to submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/ Operator Aircraft Accident/ Incident Report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2982U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (G)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17254808
- Built
- 1966
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- EFC · Belle Fourche, SD
- Destination
- EFC · Belle Fourche, SD
- Airport
- EFC · Belle Fourche Muni, runway 36, 3,634 × 125 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Unknown
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Role
- Student pilot
- Injuries
- Minor
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KSPF, 17 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 1, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB 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.
Other investigations on N2982U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.