- Date
- July 16, 2000, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Rainelle, WV
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1748FCessna 172H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000716005739A
- Case key
- 49750
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 a proper decent rate. A factor was the up-sloping 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
As the airplane was landing on an upward sloping turf runway, the pilot selected full flaps, and airplane started to sink. Power was added to compensate; however, the nose wheel impacted the slope and separated from the fuselage. The airplane bounced back into the air, continued down the runway, and touched down again. The nose section of the airplane dug into the turf before the airplane slid to a stop. According to a passenger, the airplane was coming over the 'last mountain,' when he felt the plane drop. The pilot then attempted to pull up, but was unable to, and the plane hit the ground and bounced. A second passenger, who was seated in the aft right seat of the airplane, stated, 'it felt like the plane lost lift and hit hard on the landing gear.' The pilot stated that it was his first landing at the airport.
Factual narrative
On July 16, 2000, about 1400 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cessna 172H, N1748F, was substantially damaged while landing at the Rainelle Airport (9W4), Rainelle, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that he encountered light turbulence while landing on Runway 35, a 3,300-foot long turf runway. As the airplane crossed over the end of the runway, he selected full flaps. The airplane then started to sink and power was added to compensate. The airplane touched down on all three landing gear, bounced, and touched down again. As the nose was lowered, it dropped to the ground and stopped the engine.
According to a passenger that was seated in the right front seat of the airplane, the airplane was coming over the "last mountain," when he felt the plane drop. The pilot then attempted to pull up, but was unable to, and the plane hit the ground and bounced. A second passenger, who was seated in the aft right seat of the airplane, stated, "it felt like the plane lost lift and hit hard on the landing gear." The nose gear wheel then broke off and the gear collapsed.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the runway was sloped upward at the approach end.
The inspector added that it was the pilot's first landing at 9W4.
The airplane was examined on July 18, 2000, by the FAA inspector. No abnormalities were noted.
The weather reported at an airport located about 16 miles to the southeast of the accident site, at 1345, included winds from 240 degrees at 10 knots and light thunderstorms and rain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1748F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17255143
- Airframe hours
- 6,719
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Roy .D Grimm
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 10, 2000 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- I18 · Ravenswood, WV
- Destination
- 9W4
- Airport
- 9W4 · Rainelle Airport, runway 35, 3,300 × 75 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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 622 total · 372 in this make and model · 547 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LWB, 16 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.
Other investigations on N1748F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.