- Date
- November 29, 1996, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Big Bear City, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1042GCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961129037209A
- Case key
- 29699
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 inadequate compensation for the wind condition, and his failure to maintain alignment with the runway. The gusty crosswind 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 while approaching the Big Bear City Airport, he monitored the AWOS and understood the wind was from 250 degrees at 5 knots. He said that during final approach to land on runway 26, he was 'fighting to keep lined up,' and the windsock was 90 degrees to the runway. During the landing flare, a gust pushed the airplane off the runway, and the airplane collided with a light stanchion. The pilot additionally reported that the accident could have been prevented had he gone around or exercised 'better crosswind landing technique.' The Big Bear City Airport AWOS reported that the wind was from 360 degrees at 9 gusting 16 knots.
Factual narrative
On November 29, 1996, at 1000 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172, N1042G, owned and operated by the pilot, landed in gusty wind conditions on runway 26 at the Big Bear City Airport, Big Bear City, California. The airplane touched down adjacent to the south side of the runway, collided with a precision approach path indicator (PAPI) light stanchion, and was substantially damaged. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The flight originated from Ramona, California, at 0830.
The pilot reported to the Federal Aviation Administration that he experienced moderate turbulence and gusty crosswinds during the approach to landing. During the landing flare, the airplane drifted south of the runway. The pilot elected to land rather than go around.
In the pilot's completed report, he reported that approaching Big Bear he monitored the AWOS and understood the wind was from 250 degrees at 5 knots. However, approaching the runway he was "fighting to keep lined up," and the windsock was 90 degrees to the runway. On flare, a gust pushed the airplane off the runway. The pilot further reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had had gone around or exercised "better crosswind landing technique."
At 1000 the Big Bear City Airport AWOS reported the wind at 360 degrees, 9 knots with gusts to 16 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1042G
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 36704
- Airframe hours
- 2,050
- Engine
- Continental O-300-A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gary W. Buscombe
- Registered owner
- Gary & Alma Buscombe
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1996 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- L39 · Ramona, CA
- Destination
- L35
- Airport
- L35 · Big Bear City, runway 26, 5,850 × 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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 613 total · 117 in this make and model · 457 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- L35
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.