- Date
- April 6, 2000, 17:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- North Adams, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N738CGCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000406014949A
- Case key
- 48891
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 obtain the proper touchdown point. A factor was a tailwind.
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
Shortly after departure for the local flight, the pilot observed drizzle, and returned to the airport for landing. The pilot reported that he experienced a wind shear on approach to the runway. Weather data confirmed a 180 degree shift in the wind direction at the airport, within one hour. A witness at the airport stated that the accident airplane touched down beyond the midpoint of the runway. The airplane went off the end of the runway, into a fence.
Factual narrative
On April 6, 2000, about 1715 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cessna 172, N738CG, was substantially damaged while landing at Harriman-and-West Airport (AQW), North Adams, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight departed AQW about 1700.
The pilot stated that shortly after departure, he noticed drizzle, and returned to the airport for a landing on Runway 11. Although the winds were initially favoring Runway 11, the pilot experienced "wind shear" during his final approach. He landed with a tailwind, overran the runway, and the airplane came to rest in a fence.
The airport manager witnessed the accident. He stated that the airplane touched down beyond the midpoint of the runway.
At 1652, the reported winds at AQW were from 100 degrees at 5 knots. At 1752, the reported winds at AQW were from 280 degrees at 9 knots.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N738CG
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17269867
- Airframe hours
- 3,953
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Peter C. French
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 9, 1999 · 145 hours before
- Departed
- AQW
- Airport
- AQW · Harriman And West Airport, runway 11, 4,300 × 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
- 64
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,260 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 940 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AQW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.