# NTSB MIA91LA092: Cessna 172K, N84461, Everglades City, FL, March 4, 1991

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 4, 1991, 11:47 local (16:47 UTC)
- Place: Everglades City, FL
- Location: 25.8489° N, 81.3903° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at EVERGLADES AIRPARK (X01), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.8489&lon=-81.3903&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 25, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32828
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA91LA092
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32828/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA91LA092

## Probable cause

INFORMATION GIVEN DURING A WEATHER BRIEFING WAS DISREGARDED, IN-FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WIND GUST, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE PLACEMENT OF A WINDSOCK WHICH WAS BLOCKED BY TREES RESULTING IN AN INCORRECT INDICATION OF THE DIRECTION AND VELOCITY OF THE WIND.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, landing - flare/touchdown
  - preflight briefing service - disregarded, pilot in command (cause)
  - other airport/runway maintenance - inadequate (contributing factor)
  - wind information - inaccurate (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - gusts (cause)
  - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach
  - terrain condition - ground

## Analysis

THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING & WAS ADVISED THAT THE WIND AT A NEARBY ARPT WAS GUSTING TO 22 KTS FROM 300 DEGREES. HE OVERFLEW THE ARPT TO OBSERVE THE WINDSOCK WHICH INDICATED THAT THE WIND WAS LIGHT FROM THE NORTH.  HE THEN ENTERED THE PATTERN TO LAND ON RWY 33 & WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, A GUST OF WIND RAISED THE LT WING.  HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THIS BUT THE ACFT DESCENDED & CRASHED ON THE RWY. ACCORDING TO A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY WHO WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT, HE ESTIMATED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE WEST GUSTING TO 30 KTS.  REVIEW OF THE ARPT LAYOUT REVEALED THAT TREES BLOCK THE WINDSOCK.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N84461](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N84461-1994-10-17), registration cancelled 1994-10-17, S/N 17258480 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172K
- Registry model: [Cessna 172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (registry code 2072430) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17258480
- Airframe hours: 5194
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Vera, Pedro J
- Registered owner: Vera, Pedro J
- Last inspection: 100 hour, November 18, 1990, 61 hours before
- Departed: HWO, HOLLYWOOD, FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: X01, Everglades, runway 33, 2,400 × 50 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 33; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 159 total, 10 in this make and model, 122 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 68 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: APF, 28 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19910304003869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910304003869A), Mar 4, 1991: Cessna 172K, Everglades, FL, Substantial damage. Lost control trying to land in gusty crosswind. Both wings hit runway and right gear collapsed on impact.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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