# NTSB SEA02LA181: Cessna R172K, N736PJ, Shaw Island, WA, September 26, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 26, 2002, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Shaw Island, WA - Coordinates: 48.575832, -122.974723 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.5758&lon=-122.9747&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report April 8, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Seattle FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55781 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA02LA181 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55781/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA02LA181 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for ambient wind conditions. Factors include the pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude, gusting crosswinds, and trees growing near the edge of the airstrip. ## Analysis The pilot, who operates in and out of the private airstrip on a regular basis, tried to get the aircraft on the ground before reaching a point where there is an opening in the trees, in order not to be effected by the crosswinds that were blowing. Because his approach was inadvertently higher than he had planned, the aircraft was still in the air when it reached the opening, and a very strong crosswind gust hit the aircraft from the left. Upon encountering the gust, the aircraft's left wing rose upward and the aircraft started to drift off to the right side of the runway. Although the pilot attempted to realign the aircraft with the runway, he was unable to do so before a second gust lifted the wing even higher. As he was trying to compensate for the effects of the wind gusts, the aircraft drifted further to the right and impacted coniferous trees growing just off the right side of the airstrip. ## Factual narrative On September 26, 2002, approximately 1330 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna R172K, N736PJ, collided with trees during an attempted landing at Shaw Island Airstrip, Shaw Island, Washington. The private pilot and his passenger received minor injuries, and the aircraft, which is owned and operated by Nimbus Corporation, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, which departed Anacortes, Washington, about 10 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. The ELT, which was activated by the accident sequence, was turned off at the scene. According to the pilot, who operates in and out of the private airstrip on a regular basis, he tried to get the aircraft on the ground before reaching a point where there is an opening in the trees, in order not to be effected by the crosswinds that were blowing. Because his approach was inadvertently higher than he had planned, the aircraft was still in the air when it reached the opening, and a very strong crosswind gust hit the aircraft from the left. Upon encountering the gust, the aircraft's left wing rose upward and the aircraft started to drift off to the right side of the runway. Although the pilot attempted to realign the aircraft with the runway, he was unable to do so before a second gust lifted the wing even higher. As he was trying to compensate for the effects of the wind gusts, the aircraft drifted further to the right and impacted coniferous trees growing just off the right side of the airstrip. According to the pilot, there was no indication that there had been any malfunction of the aircraft's systems or its flight controls. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - flare/touchdown - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - distance/altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N736PJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N736PJ-2006-08-07), registration cancelled 2006-08-07, S/N R1722678, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna R172K - Registry model: [Cessna R172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172k) (registry code 2072431) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: R1722678 - Airframe hours: 1851 - Engines: Continental IO-360-K1 195 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Nimbus Corporation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 21, 2002, 60 hours before - Departed: 74S, Anacortes, WA - Destination: Shaw Island, WA - Airport: Shaw Island Airport, runway 36, 1,800 × 80 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 4, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 293 total, 234 as pilot in command, 55 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F ## 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 20020926028689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020926028689A), Sep 26, 2002: Cessna R172K, Shawisland, WA, Destroyed. (-23) Pilot was nearing touchdown at shaw island airport. As he descended below tree level a strong wind gust pushed the airplane to the east side of the… 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.