- Date
- September 1, 2008, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- South Harpswell, ME
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N251SPCessna 172SP
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 68840
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 control of the airplane while landing in gusty winds.
Findings · 3
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 stated that prior to landing he believed that he had a quartering head wind between 6 and 8 knots. Once over runway 14 at 10 feet agl, "suddenly the wind shifted and we were lifted up and keeled over to the right. Once I leveled the wings I realized that we were quickly running out of runway." The pilot stated that he attempted a go-around; he put in full power and raised the flaps to 20 degrees. However, he did not have enough power or clearance to stay out of the trees. The pilot banked left to avoid the trees and "dropped" the airplane in a field between houses. The airplane hit the ground and then skidded to a stop into a tree. The reported weather conditions at Brunswick, Maine, at the time of the accident was visual meteorological conditions with winds at 340 degrees at 19 knots gusting to 27 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that prior to landing he believed that he had a quartering head wind between 6 and 8 knots. Once over runway 14 at about 10 feet agl., "suddenly the wind shifted and we were lifted up and keeled over to the right. Once I leveled the wings I realized that we were quickly running out of runway." The pilot stated that he attempted a go-around; he put in full power and raised the flaps to 20 degrees. However, he did not have enough power or clearance to stay out of the trees. The pilot banked left to avoid the trees and "dropped" the airplane in a field between houses. The airplane hit the ground and then skidded to a stop into a tree. The reported weather conditions at Brunswick, Maine, at the time of the accident was visual meteorological conditions with winds at 340 degrees at 19 knots gusting to 27 knots. The pilot said he and the two passengers were out of the airplane in 15 seconds. Damage to the airplane consisted of the left wing and empennage. Emergency responders arrived within 5 minutes, but no one was injured. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N251SP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172SP
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8227
- Engine
- Lycoming IO360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ari Meisel
- Registered owner
- Ari Meisel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2007 · 52 hours before
- Departed
- PSM · Portsmouth, NH
- Destination
- ME33 · South Harpswell, ME
- Airport
- ME33 · Farr Field, runway 14, 1,900 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 142 total · 142 in this make and model · 90 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 19 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- NHZ