# NTSB SEA00LA010: Cessna 172M, N12376, Mackay, ID, October 28, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 27, 1999, 18:00 local (Oct 28, 1999, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Mackay, ID - Coordinates: 43.949352, -113.840766 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.9494&lon=-113.8408&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 23, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47704 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA00LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47704/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA00LA010 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to land at the proper touchdown point. Factors include a wind gust, a grass runway, and a drop-off into rough terrain at the end of the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - grass (contributing factor) - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - drop-off/descending embankment (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) ## Analysis While making a precautionary landing at a remote grass airstrip, the aircraft did not touch down until after it had floated at least one-quarter of the way down the 5,000 foot long grass runway. After touchdown, and prior to the pilot applying brakes, a gust of wind lifted the aircraft back into the air. After touching down a second time, the pilot applied maximum braking, but he was unable to stop the aircraft before it departed the end of the runway and went over a 20 foot drop-off. At the bottom of the drop-off, the aircraft encountered rough/uneven terrain where it experienced a collapse of the nose gear and one main gear leg. ## Factual narrative On October 27, 1999, approximately 1800 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N12376, experienced a gear collapse after running off the end of the runway during a precautionary landing at Star "S" Ranch, Mackay, Idaho. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the aircraft, which was owned and operated by Sandpoint Aviation Services, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Sandpoint about three hours and 15 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. The aircraft had been on a VFR flight plan, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to the pilot, while en route, he deviated to avoid mountain obscuration due to smoke and haze. Upon resuming his original course, he encountered a headwind that was greater than he had flight planned for. Because of the deviation and the wind conditions, it appeared to the pilot that he did not have enough fuel to make it to his intended destination. He therefore decided to make a precautionary landing at the Star "S" Ranch airstrip. As he approached the Star "S" strip, he kept his altitude higher than normal because of the rapidly rising terrain surrounding the landing area. He then descended steeper than normal on base and final, and crossed the threshold at about 75 knots indicated airspeed. He reported that the aircraft floated before touching down at least one-quarter way down the 5,000 foot long grass airstrip. After touchdown and before he had applied the brakes, a wind gust lifted the aircraft back into the air. After touching down a second time, the pilot applied maximum breaking, but was unable to stop the aircraft before it ran off the end of the runway and dropped over a 20 foot high embankment onto rough/uneven terrain. During the rollout on the terrain at the bottom of the embankment, the nose wheel and the right main gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. According to the pilot, there was no evidence of engine, control system, or brake system malfunction. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N12376](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N12376), registered now, S/N 17261955 (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: 17261955 - Airframe hours: 4886 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Sandpoint Aviation Services - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 7, 1999, 83 hours before - Departed: SZT, SANDPOINT, ID - Destination: SUN, HAILEY, ID - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: Star S Ranch, runway 3, 5,000 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 482 total, 116 in this make and model, 447 as pilot in command, 28 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken - Temperature: 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## 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 19991027040449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991027040449A), Oct 27, 1999: Cessna 172M, Mackay, ID, No damage. (-23) Flight was from snadport, Idaho to hailey, Idaho. Pilot elected to make a precautionary land on provate grass strip because of concern for fuel to reach… 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.