- Date
- April 15, 1995, 11:02 local (18:02 UTC)
- Place
- Palo Alto, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N228PPCessna 182Q
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 11, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950415010979A
- Case key
- 29078
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
inadequate compensation for wind conditions by the private pilot, and failure of the flight instructor (CFI) to ensure that directional control of the aircraft was maintained. The gusty/crosswind (weather) condition was a related factor.
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 during rollout, at the conclusion of an instructional flight, she lost control of the airplane while encountering 'a strong gust of wind (which) picked up the left wing and lifted the plane to the right.' The airplane veered off the runway and was substantially damaged when a wing contacted the ground. According to the flight instructor, the local wind was '50 degrees off the center of the runway,' and 'was considerably different than that which was reported on the ATIS.' The instructor also reported that 'during landing rollout, a gust of wind, possibly a dust devil, caught the left wing and began lifting it up.' The airplane veered to the right and exited the runway despite the fact that the left aileron was fully deflected to the left.
Factual narrative
On April 15, 1995, at 1102 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N228PP, landed on runway 30 at the Palo Alto of Santa Clara County Airport, Palo Alto, California. The private pilot reported that during rollout she lost control of the airplane upon encountering "a strong gust of wind (which) picked up the left wing and lifted the plane to the right." The airplane veered off the runway and was substantially damaged when a wing contacted the ground. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. Neither the certificated flight instructor nor the dual student was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the instructional flight which originated from Palo Alto around 0930.
According to the flight instructor, the local wind was "50 degrees off the center of the runway," and "was considerably different than that which was reported on the (automated terminal information service) ATIS." The instructor further reported that during landing rollout a gust of wind, possibly a dust devil, caught the left wing and began lifting it up." As the airplane veered to the right and exited the runway, the left aileron was fully deflected to the left.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N228PP
- Reported as
- Cessna 182Q
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18266162
- Airframe hours
- 1,250
- Engine
- Continental O-470-U, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Patricia L. Pearson
- Registered owner
- Patricia & Paul Pearson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 30, 1995 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- PAO
- Airport
- PAO · Palo Alto Of Santa Clara, runway 30, 2,500 × 65 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
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 90 in this make and model · 2,400 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.