# NTSB NYC07CA204: Cessna 172, N6670A, Julian, WV, August 26, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 26, 2007, 09:27 local (13:27 UTC) - Place: Julian, WV - Coordinates: 38.162498, -81.855003 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1625&lon=-81.8550&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/800) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 29, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 66509 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC07CA204 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66509/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07CA204 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight planning. Contributing to the accident were the overcast cloud conditions and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, other - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (contributing factor) - terrain condition - grass ## Analysis The non-instrument-rated pilot of the Cessna 172 reported that he and a passenger took off in clear skies for an early morning breakfast at an airport about 125 nautical miles to the northeast. Upon reaching the destination, the pilot found he could not descend below a cloud layer, and opted to return to the departure airport. Upon arrival at that airport, it was also covered by a low cloud layer, so the pilot continued to the south, toward rising terrain, to find a suitable airport to land. About 15 miles away, he found a hole in clouds and descended. With continued low ceilings and low fuel, the pilot made a precautionary landing to a field. During the landing roll, the pilot "lost control" of the airplane. The right wingtip struck the ground, then the left main landing gear folded inboard, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the outboard 3 feet of the left wing bent upwards about 30 degrees. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing or file a flight plan, and no mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane. ## Factual narrative According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the non-instrument-rated pilot of the Cessna 172 reported that he and a passenger took off in clear skies for an early morning breakfast at an airport about 125 nautical miles to the northeast. Upon reaching the destination, the pilot found he could not descend below a cloud layer, and opted to return to the departure airport. Upon arrival at that airport, it was also covered by a low cloud layer, so the pilot continued to the south, toward rising terrain, to find a suitable airport to land. About 15 miles away, he found a hole in clouds and descended. With continued low ceilings and low fuel, the pilot made a precautionary landing to a field. During the landing roll, the pilot "lost control" of the airplane. The right wingtip struck the ground, then the left main landing gear folded inboard, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the outboard 3 feet of the left wing bent upwards about 30 degrees. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing or file a flight plan, and no mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6670A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6670A-2013-04-30), registration cancelled 2013-04-30, S/N 28770, built 1956 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 - Registry model: [Cessna 172](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172) (registry code 2072402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28770 - Engines: Continental O-300 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Dale W. Holstein - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: WV12, Mallory, WV - Destination: MGW, Morgantown, WV - Airport: WV12, Mallory, runway 33 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; flight hours: 2,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day ## 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 20070826829859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070826829859A), Aug 26, 2007: Cessna 172, Julian, WV, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot elected to make a precautionary, off-airport landing in a field, due to low fuel state and deteriorating weather. However, pilot lost control of… ## Other investigations on N6670A (1) 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. - [NTSB NYC67F0692](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC67F0692), May 25, 1967: Cessna 172 (N6670A), Cresson, PA, substantial damage 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.