# NTSB NYC99LA152: Cessna 172M, N20952, Fayetteville, WV, June 20, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 20, 1999, 14:20 local (18:20 UTC) - Place: Fayetteville, WV - Coordinates: 38.050418, -81.100883 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0504&lon=-81.1009&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 3 serious - Status: Completed, report June 22, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46645 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC99LA152 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46645/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA152 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the aborted landing. A factor in this accident was the crosswind condition. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The airplane was landing on runway 21, a 2,010 foot-long, 20-foot wide, asphalt runway. The pilot stated he aborted the landing when he encountered a gust of wind, and realized that insufficient runway remained for landing. The airplane veered to the right of the runway and impacted near the tops of 50 to 60 foot tall trees, located about 230 feet to the right of the runway. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions of the airframe or engine; nor did the pilot report any. The wind reported at a nearby airport, was from 100 degrees at 6 knots. ## Factual narrative On June 20, 1999, about 1420 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N20952, was substantially damaged while landing at the Fayette Airport (I89), Fayetteville, West Virginia. The certificated commercial pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local sightseeing flight conducted under 14 CFR Part91. The airplane was landing on runway 21, a 2,010-foot long, 20-foot wide, asphalt runway. According to the pilot, when the airplane was about 20 feet above the runway, "a gust of wind picked the airplane up" and the airplane's altitude increased 70 feet, "in a matter of seconds." He further stated: "I was still in a landing configuration and when I realized that I [would] run out of runway, I applied power to go around. A windshear gust dropped the plane down about 50 feet and the plane was unable to clear the tree tops...." In a written statement, the passenger seated in the rear seat said: "Everything seemed alright as far as the flight. As we came down for landing, it seemed like the wind picked up and we missed the landing strip. We landed on the right of the runway. It was real bumpy and it seemed like we were trying to pick back up and takeoff and the right wing clipped a tree and the plane flipped over..." A witness at the airport stated: "...Everything looked fine at first. Then suddenly the plane began to tilt back and forth from left to right just above the runway. Then the airplane touched down three times, but each time it sort of bounced back up. On the third bounce the plane took flight again. Almost immediately the plane started veering right...About that time the plane continued right clipping limbs of a tree and then vanished...." He then observed gray smoke. Another witness who observed the landing stated: "...The right wing tipped down but the pilot corrected and the plane touched down in what appeared to be a normal landing. The plane only touched the ground for a moment though and then lifted back off the runway. It did this about three times and then it veered off the runway to the right where the wings began sheering off small bushes and shrubs. It was headed for a group of trees when I heard the engine get louder and the plane attempt to takeoff. The plane rose quickly but it couldn't clear the top of the trees..." Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions of the airframe or engine; nor did the pilot report any. The airplane impacted near the tops of 50 to 60 foot tall trees, located about 230 feet to the right of the runway. The wind reported at a nearby airport, at 1451, was from 100 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot reported he had been hired by the airplane's owner to perform the sightseeing flight. He also stated that the accident flight was the first sightseeing flight he had flown for the owner; however, he had flown the accident airplane on several previous occasions, and had performed about 150 landings at I89. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N20952](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N20952-2000-06-01), registration cancelled 2000-06-01, S/N 17263880 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17263880 - Airframe hours: 4272 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, June 15, 1999, 15 hours before - Departed: I89 - Airport: I89, Fayette, runway 21, 2,010 × 20 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, invalid medical for flight; seat: left; flight hours: 4,310 total, 600 in this make and model, 4,250 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 29 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,100 ft overcast - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BKW, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990620007249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990620007249A), Jun 20, 1999: Cessna 172M, Fayetteville, WV, Substantial damage. Acft flipped over on landing on rwy 3 and was destroyed, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) while landing on runway 21 at the Fayette county airport (I89),… 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.