- Date
- February 14, 1999, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marathon, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N75RRCessna 172K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990214001429A
- Case key
- 45780
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 use of elevator control while landing in gusty winds resulting in the aircraft nosing down and the propeller and wing contacting the runway.
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 landing on runway 7 with winds reported to be from 360 degrees to 010 degrees at 15-16 knots, with gusts to 21 knots, the pilot applied forward elevator control and the aircraft nosed down and the propeller and right wing contacted the runway.
Factual narrative
On February 14, 1999, about 0930 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172K, N75RR, registered to an individual, nosed down during landing at Marathon Airport, Marathon, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Lantana, Florida, the same day, about 0800.
The pilot stated he received the current weather conditions from the unicom operator as he approached Marathon Airport for landing. The active runway was 7 and he would have a quartering tailwind at 18 knots with gusts to 22 knots during landing. He landed on runway 7 and encountered strong quartering tailwinds that affected the steering of the aircraft. He pushed forward on the elevator control to get the nose wheel on the runway and the wind lifted the tail causing the propeller and right wing to contact the runway. He regained control and taxied to the ramp.
The Marathon Airport, 0853 eastern standard time automated surface weather observation reported winds were from 360 degrees at 16 knots with gusts to 21 knots. The 0953 surface weather observation reported winds were from 010 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 21 knots. (See attached weather reports)
Aircraft
- Registration
- N75RR
- Reported as
- Cessna 172K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17257544
- Airframe hours
- 6,821
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Palm Beach Flight Training
- Registered owner
- Conward E. Johnson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 8, 1999 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- LNA · Lantana, FL
- Destination
- MTH
- Airport
- MTH · Marathon, runway 7, 5,008 × 100 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
- 68
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 175 total · 118 in this make and model · 31 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MTH, 1 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.