- Date
- October 8, 2017, 14:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Black River Falls, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9664QCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171008014489A
- Case key
- 96161
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 failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions.
Findings · 4
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 pilot reported that, during landing in a gusting crosswind, the airplane landed on the left wheel first. He added that "all of a sudden it was like a huge gust of wind took the plane and just threw it to the right." The propeller struck the runway, and the airplane then exited the runway to the right and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport revealed that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 190° at 9 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The airplane landed on runway 26. The Pilot's Operating Handbook contained a section titled, "Crosswind Landing," which stated, in part: "The maximum allowable crosswind velocity is dependent upon pilot capability rather than aircraft limitations. With average pilot technique, direct crosswinds of 15 knots can be handled with safety."
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing in a gusting crosswind, the airplane landed on the left wheel first. He added that "all of a sudden it was like a huge gust of wind took the plane and just threw it to the right". The propeller struck the runway; the airplane exited the runway to the right and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 190° at 9 knots, gusting 17 knots. The airplane landed on runway 26. The pilot's operating handbook contains a section titled "Crosswind Landing". It stated in part: "The maximum allowable crosswind velocity is dependent upon pilot capability rather than aircraft limitations. With average pilot technique, direct crosswinds of 15 knots can be handled with safety."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9664Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17265748
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 5,979.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 10, 2017
- Departed
- MFI · Marshfield, WI
- Destination
- BCK · Black River Falls, WI
- Airport
- BCK · Black River Falls Area, runway 26, 4,601 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 10, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 103 total · 35.9 as pilot in command · 20.3 in the last 90 days · 4.3 in the last 30 days · 0.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.63 inHg
- Observed at
- KBCK
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 27, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.