- Date
- April 19, 2007, 18:30 local (Apr 20, 2007, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Peach Springs, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N35562Cessna 172I
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070419005439A
- Case key
- 65607
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 failure to adequately compensate for the gusty wind condition encountered on final approach, resulting in a loss of control and an in-flight collision with a dirt berm. A contributing factor was the gusty wind condition.
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 pilot reported that he made a low pass to observe the airport's windsock prior to entering the pattern for a landing on runway 17. He observed that the wind was light and variable. At an altitude of about 20 feet above ground level on final approach, a wind gust "lifted the right wing" and "pushed the airplane approximately 10 feet off to the left of the runway." The pilot noted that the airplane's airspeed had decayed from about 65 to 70 knots down to 40 to 45 knots. He leveled the wings, added power, and attempted to regain airspeed. However, the airplane "lost all remaining lift" and the nose gear impacted a dirt berm. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he made a low pass to observe the windsock prior to entering the pattern for a landing on runway 17. He observed that the wind was light and variable. At an altitude of about 20 feet above ground level on final approach, a wind gust "lifted the right wing" and "pushed the airplane approximately 10 feet off to the left of the runway." The pilot noted that the airplane's airspeed had decayed from about 65 to 70 knots down to 40 to 45 knots. He leveled the wings, added power, and attempted to regain airspeed. However, the airplane "lost all remaining lift" and the nose gear impacted a dirt berm. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35562
- Reported as
- Cessna 172I
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17256837
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sheble Aviation & Flight School Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- IFP · Bullhead City, AZ
- Destination
- 1G4 · Peach Springs, AZ
- Airport
- 1G4 · Grand Canyon West, runway 17, 5,058 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 49 total · 43 in this make and model · 49 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N35562 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.