- Date
- October 10, 2003, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Clarence Center, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8511TCessna 182C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Rochester
- FAA report
- 20031010030579A
- Case key
- 58134
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 delayed go-around decision. A factor in this accident was the night light condition.
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
The airplane was on final approach to land on runway 18, a 2,230-foot-long, 55-foot-wide, lighted grass runway. The pilot stated he added full flaps when he thought he had the runway "made;" however, it became apparent that the airplane was "high and long." The pilot initiated a go-around, added power and raised the flaps to "two notches;" however, the airplane settled into the trees located at the end of the runway. The pilot further said that he was not certain how high the airplane was above the trees when he initiated the go-around because it was dark. The pilot reported 1,546 hours of total flight experience, which included 970 hours in make and model, and 11 hours in "night" conditions.
Factual narrative
On October 10, 2003, about 1945 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182C, N8511T, was substantially damaged during a go-around at the Potoczak Airport, Clarence Center, New York. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Night 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.
The pilot stated he entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 18, a 2,230-foot-long, 55-foot-wide, lighted grass runway. On final approach, he added full flaps when he thought he had the runway "made;" however, it became apparent that the airplane was "high and long." The pilot initiated a go-around, added power and raised the flaps to "two notches;" however, the airplane settled into the trees located at the end of the runway. The pilot further said that he was not certain how high the airplane was above the trees when he initiated the go-around because it was dark.
The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane.
The pilot reported 1,546 hours of total flight experience, which included 970 hours in make and model, and 11 hours in "night" conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8511T
- Reported as
- Cessna 182C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 52411
- Airframe hours
- 3,015
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- W.A.K. Enterprises Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- D46 · Clarence Center, NY
- Destination
- D46 · Clarence Center, NY
- Airport
- D46 · Potoczak, runway 18, 2,230 × 55 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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 24, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,546 total · 970 in this make and model · 1,436 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 50° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- BUF, 8 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.