# NTSB SEA07LA013: Cessna 172S, N2097G, Richfield, UT, October 31, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 31, 2006, 14:50 local (21:50 UTC) - Place: Richfield, UT - Coordinates: 38.736389, -112.098892 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7364&lon=-112.0989&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Salt Lake City FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 64843 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07LA013 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64843/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07LA013 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inability to compensate for the gusty crosswinds during the initial part of the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of control and a noseover. Factors associated with the accident are gusty crosswinds, and a mound/berm of dirt alongside the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - berm (contributing factor) ## Analysis On his first approach, the student pilot was too high, and he executed a go-around. During his second attempt, he noticed that there were gusty crosswinds near the ground, but he felt that they were of a magnitude that he would be able to handle. The second approach and initial touchdown were without incident, but soon after the beginning of the landing roll, the airplane was hit by a gust of wind from the right. The gust pushed the airplane toward the left side of the runway, and lifted the right wing. Although the pilot attempted corrective action, he was unable to keep the airplane from departing the left side of the paved runway surface and entering an area of soft terrain. While he was attempting to get the airplane onto the runway, it encountered a mound/berm of dirt, and flipped over onto its back. There was no evidence of any flight control or nose wheel steering problems, and according to the student pilot, the only problem was his inability to compensate for the gusty crosswind conditions. ## Factual narrative On October 31, 2006, approximately 1450 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172S, N2097G, nosed over after inadvertently departing the runway during the landing roll at Richfield Municipal Airport, Richfield, Utah. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned by Mountain Air Aviation LLC, and operated by Cornerstone Aviation, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo cross-country instructional flight, which departed Provo, Utah, about 90 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. The pilot was on a VFR flight plan. There was no report of an ELT activation. According to the student pilot, his first approach was too high, and because he thought he would be landing long, he elected to execute a go-around. During his second attempt, he noticed that there were gusty crosswinds near the ground, but he felt that they were of a magnitude that he would be able to handle. The second approach and initial touchdown were without incident, but soon after the beginning of the landing roll, the aircraft was hit by a gust of wind from the right. The gust pushed the aircraft toward the left side of the runway and lifted its right wing. Although the pilot attempted corrective action, he was unable to keep the aircraft from departing the left side of the paved runway surface and entering an area of soft terrain. While he was attempting to get the aircraft back onto the runway, it encountered a mound/berm of dirt, and flipped over onto its back. According to the student pilot, there was no evidence of any flight control or nose wheel steering problems. He further stated that the only problem was his inability to compensate for the gusty crosswind conditions. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2097G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2097G), registered now, S/N 172S9662, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S9662 - Airframe hours: 850 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Conerstone Aviation - Registered owner: Mountain Air Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 1, 2006 - Departed: KPVU, Provo, UT - Destination: KRIF, Richfield, UT - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: KRIF, Richfield Municipal Airport, runway 01, 6,600 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 27 total, 27 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 19 °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 20061031021199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061031021199A), Oct 31, 2006: Cessna 172S, Richfield, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot on first solo cross country flight attempted to land with a 90 degree crosswind from the left. The student pilot misapplied the controls… 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.