# NTSB NYC03CA179: Cessna 172RG, N9673B, Glens Falls, NY, August 16, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 16, 2003, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Glens Falls, NY - Coordinates: 43.34111, -73.610275 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3411&lon=-73.6103&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Albany - NTSB case key (mKey): 57740 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03CA179 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57740/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03CA179 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control during the flare/touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing. Factors in this accident were wind gusts and the pilot's improper decision to land during thunderstorm activity. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, approach - weather condition - thunderstorm (contributing factor) - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis While on approach to the airport, the pilot encountered a thunderstorm cell, and elected to utilize runway 30, a 4,000-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot said he approached at a faster airspeed in expectation of crosswinds or wind shear. Upon touchdown, the aircraft was picked up from the front left quarter by a wind gust and landed hard. The airplane sustained damage to the propeller, firewall, nose gear and lower portions of the fuselage. The pilot did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. A weather observation taken at the airport, about the time of the accident, included winds from 270 at 6 knots, visibility 3 miles with light rain and mist. The remarks section of the observation included lightning in the distance east, southwest, and west of the airport. ## Factual narrative On August 16, 2003, about 1430 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172RG, N9673B, was substantially damaged while landing at the Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport, Glens Falls, New York. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In a written statement, the pilot said he was on approach to runway 19, when he encountered a thunderstorm cell and was advised by another pilot to utilized runway 30, a 4,000-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot further stated: "I made the approach to [runway] 30 faster (75-80 knots) in expectation of crosswinds or wind shear. Upon touchdown the aircraft was picked up from the front left quarter by a wind gust. While maintaining control of the aircraft, I could not avoid the resulting hard landing...." The airplane sustained damage to the propeller, firewall, nose gear and lower portions of the fuselage. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. A weather observation taken at the airport, about the time of the accident, included winds from 270 at 6 knots, visibility 3 miles with light rain and mist. The remarks section of the observation included lightning in the distance east, southwest, and west of the airport. ## Aircraft - Registration: N9673B (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172RG - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172RG0960 - Airframe hours: 6240 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-F1AG 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael R. Juliano - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 6, 2003, 32 hours before - Departed: GFL, GLENS FALLS, NY - Destination: GFL, Glens Falls, NY - Airport: GFL, Warren County, runway 30, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 435 total, 156 in this make and model, 368 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 6 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.73 inHg - Observed at: GFL ## 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 20030816020099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030816020099A), Aug 16, 2003: Cessna 172RG, Glens Falls, NY, Minor damage. (-23) Pilot was flying a familiarization flight in the local area. A weather front approached the airport and the pilot elected to land the aircraft on rwy 30… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.