- Date
- November 12, 2018, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Piseco, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N738VKCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 20, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181112017199A
- Case key
- 98634
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 loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in impact with a snow pile and necessitated a go-around, during which the airplane impacted trees.
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 pilot reported that, while landing on a snow-plowed runway, during touchdown, the airplane "slipped sideways," a wheel struck a snow pile, and the airplane turned left. He then applied full power to go around, but the airplane impacted trees. 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.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while landing on a snow plowed airport, during the touchdown, the airplane "slipped sideways" and a wheel struck a snow pile, which oriented his heading "to the left side of the runway." He then applied full power to go around, but the airplane impacted a grove of trees. 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. The automated weather observation station located on an airport about 40 miles away, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was 120° at 5 knots. The pilot reported the wind was 290° at 5 knots. The airplane landed on runway 04.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N738VK
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270270
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 2,138.2
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 7, 2018
- Departed
- SCH · Schenectady, NY
- Destination
- K09 · Piseco, NY
- Airport
- K09 · Piseco, runway 04, 3,016 × 60 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
- 77
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 25, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,541 total · 1,400 in this make and model · 1,525 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- KUCA, 42 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 16, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.