- Date
- April 5, 1997, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Tampa, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1385UCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970405005219A
- Case key
- 38254
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 improper compensation for wind conditions and failure to properly flare the airplane for landing. Factors relating to the accident were: the gusty/quartering wind conditions, and the pilot's improper use of flaps for landing.
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
While inbound to land, the pilot was advised that the wind was from 150 degrees at 19 gusting 24 knots. He continued and was cleared to land on runway 18L. The pilot elected to land with the flaps fully extended. While crossing over the runway threshold, the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The airplane then rolled to the right, ballooned, stalled, and impacted the runway nose and right wing low.
Factual narrative
On April 5, 1997, about 1030 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172M, N1385U, registered to the Crystal Aero Group, Inc., was substantially damaged on landing at the Tampa International Airport, Tampa, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The private-rated pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The flight originated from the Crystal River Airport, Crystal River, Florida, about 1 hour earlier.
The pilot was advised by the ATIS while inbound to land that the wind was from 150 degrees at 19 knots with gusts to 24 knots. The flight continued and was cleared to land on runway 18L. While over the runway threshold with the flaps fully extended, the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The pilot then relaxed the aileron control and the airplane rolled to the right, then ballooned, stalled, and impacted the ground nose and right wing low.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1385U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17267056
- Airframe hours
- 7,454
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Crystal Aero Group, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 2, 1997 · 84 hours before
- Departed
- X31 · Crystal River, FL
- Destination
- TPA
- Airport
- TPA · Tampa International, runway 18L, 8,300 × 150 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
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 72 total · 4 in this make and model · 27 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 19 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TPA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1385U · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.