- Date
- August 8, 1994, 12:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Carson City, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4390RCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940808020689A
- Case key
- 28818
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 decision to attempt a landing in crosswind conditions which exceeded the capability of the aircraft.
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 reported that he was landing on runway 27 and encountered a very strong left-quartering wind gust at touchdown. The pilot was unable to maintain control of the aircraft and it veered off the runway and ground looped. An FAA inspector reported that the winds were from 220 degrees at 15 knots with gusts estimated at 25 knots or higher. According to the Cessna aircraft company, the maximum demonstrated crosswind for this aircraft is 15 knots. The minimum gust crosswind component for the observed winds was computed at 17 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 8, 1994, at 1220 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N4390R, veered off the runway at Carson City, Nevada, and ground looped. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at Scapoose, Oregon, on the day of the accident at 0820 as a personal cross-country flight to Carson City, Nevada.
The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 27 and encountered a very strong left quartering wind gust at touchdown. The pilot was unable to maintain control of the aircraft and it veered off the runway and ground looped.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site and reported that the winds were from about 220 degrees at 15 knots with gusts he estimated at 25 knots or higher.
According to the Cessna Aircraft Company Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the model 172M, the maximum demonstrated crosswind for the aircraft is 15 knots. The minimum gust crosswind component for the FAA inspector-observed winds was computed at 17 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4390R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17263140
- Engine
- Franklin 6A-350-C2, 215 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Erwin E. Martell
- Registered owner
- Erwin E. Martell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 26, 1994 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- 1S4 · Scapoose, OR
- Destination
- O04
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- O04 · Carson, runway 27, 5,900 × 75 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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,006 total · 609 in this make and model · 957 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.