SEA05CA080

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172 · Yamhill, OR · April 9, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 9, 2005, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
Place
Yamhill, OR
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N8400LCessna 172
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 7, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20050409005109A
Case key
61284

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while on final approach for landing. A crosswind, a fence post and the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition were contributing factors.

Analysis

In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was approaching the airstrip from the east for a landing on runway 25. The pilot noted, via the wind sock, that the wind was out of the north at about 5 miles per hour, but variable. The pilot stated that he had just started the flare when the airplane "did a sharp shift to the left, just to the side of the runway." The pilot attempted to correct for the crosswind, however, the airplane continued to move further off to the south side of the runway towards a fence which was located about 25 feet away. The left horizontal stabilizer collided with a fence post about the same time the wheels touched the surface. Due to a vehicle that was on the road that runs parallel to the runway and in close proximity to the airplane, the pilot added full power in an attempt to avoid the car. The airplane traveled up an incline back to the runway surface and toward trees off the north side of the airstrip. The airplane collided with several small trees and eventually traveled into a culvert and tipped over onto its nose, coming to rest in about three feet of water. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident.

Factual narrative

On April 9, 2005, about 0930 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172I, N8400L, registered to and flown by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with a fence post and subsequently the terrain during landing at Flying M Airport, Yamhill, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Salem, Oregon, about 15 minutes prior to the accident.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was approaching the airstrip from the east for a landing on runway 25. The pilot noted, via the wind sock, that the wind was out of the north at about 5 miles per hour, but variable. The pilot stated that he had just started the flare when the airplane "did a sharp shift to the left, just to the side of the runway." The pilot attempted to correct for the crosswind, however, the airplane continued to move further off to the south side of the runway towards a fence which was located about 25 feet away. The left horizontal stabilizer collided with a fence post about the same time the wheels touched the surface. Due to a vehicle that was on the road that runs parallel to the runway and in close proximity to the airplane, the pilot added full power in an attempt to avoid the car. The airplane traveled up an incline back to the runway surface and toward trees off the north side of the airstrip. The airplane collided with several small trees and eventually traveled into a culvert and tipped over onto its nose, coming to rest in about three feet of water.

The pilot reported no mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane at the time of the accident.

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.

Loss of control - in flightApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
On ground/water collision with objectLanding
Object - fence postFactor
Object - tree(s)

Aircraft

Registration
N8400L
Reported as
Cessna 172
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17256600
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2D, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
William C. Burwell
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
SLE · Salem, OR
Destination
OR05 · Yamhill, OR
Airport
OR05 · Flying M Airport, runway 25

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
66
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3
Flight hours
572 total · 470 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.