- Date
- May 23, 1995, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Frederick, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3168YCessna 182E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950523013069A
- Case key
- 38969
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 inadequate inflight planning by failing to verify the wind direction for landing. Also causal is the pilot's failure to obtain the proper touch down point and to do a go-around.
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 student pilot departed in his own airplane to fly to his flight instructor's airstrip. He estimated that the winds were from the southwest at the departure airport. Upon arrival at his destination, he attempted a landing on runway 31, a 1400 foot grass strip. The student decided that his approach was fast and performed a G0-around. The student stated that during a second attempt, he was still fast on final, but elected to land, and touched down about mid-field. The airplane 'skidded' towards the end of the runway into a drainage ditch and nosed over. The student estimated that the winds were from the southeast at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The student stated that he should have done a go-around.
Factual narrative
On May 23, 1995, at 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182E, N3168Y, was substantially damaged during landing at the Drewniany-Springmeadow Airport (PA85), Frederick, Pennsylvania. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Allentown, Pennsylvania, at 1900. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the student pilot/owner of the airplane stated that when he departed the Allentown Queen City Airport, he estimated the winds were from the southwest. His route of flight was direct to PA85, a private 1,400 foot grass strip, where his flight instructor was located.
He further stated:
...[I] attempted to land on runway 31 and was coming in fast, so I proceeded with a go-around. Attempted a second landing. Landing was made, although I was still approaching fast. Rather than elect to do a go-around, I proceeded with the landing. I skidded towards the end of the runway, hit a drainage ditch, and flipped aircraft over. After reviewing the conditions, I had landed downwind...I touched down approximately mid-field and I should have done a go-around.
In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot estimated that the winds were from the southeast at 15 knots, gusting to 20.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3168Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 182E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18254168
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Perry R. Friz
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 1N9 · Allentown, PA
- Destination
- PA85
- Airport
- PA85 · Spring Meadow, runway 31, 1,400 × 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
- 37
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 114 total · 73 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.