# NTSB SEA94LA075: Cessna 175A, N6995E, Stanley, ID, March 6, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 6, 1994, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Stanley, ID
- Coordinates: 44.260574, -114.970199 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.2606&lon=-114.9702&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 2, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 41888
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA94LA075
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/41888/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA94LA075

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER DESCENT RATE. FACTORS INCLUDE DOWNDRAFTS ON FINAL APPROACH.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing
  - proper descent rate - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor)
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

WHILE ON SHORT FINAL TO THE 2,100 FOOT LONG AIRSTRIP, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DOWNDRAFT AS IT PASSED OVER A RIVER. THE INCREASED RATE OF DESCENT, WHICH BEGAN WHILE IN THE DOWNDRAFT, CONTINUED TO THE POINT OF TOUCHDOWN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN EXPERIENCED A VERY HARD THREE-POINT LANDING, AT WHICH TIME THE NOSE GEAR FORK SHEARED FROM THE STRUT. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR, AND TOUCHED DOWN A SECOND TIME, LANDING ON THE MAIN GEAR. WHEN THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE GEAR TO THE RUNWAY, THE NOSE GEAR STRUT DUG INTO THE SOFT EARTH, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER.

## Factual narrative

On March 6, 1994, approximately 1200 mountain standard time (MST), a Cessna 175A, N6995E, nosed over during the landing roll at Thomas Creek Airstrip, Stanley, Idaho. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The personal pleasure flight, which departed Friedman Memorial Airport, Hailey, Idaho about 1115 MST, was operating in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the pilot-rated passenger, while the aircraft was on short final, it entered a downdraft while passing over a river. While in the downdraft, the aircraft picked up a high rate of descent, resulting in an excessively hard three-point touchdown. The aircraft bounced back into the air, and settled back to the runway a second time, landing on the main gear. The pilot lowered the nose gear to the ground, at which time the nose gear strut dug into the soft earth, and the aircraft nosed over. According to the FAA inspector who responded to the scene of the accident, the nose gear strut sheared during the initial hard touchdown.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6995E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6995E), registered now, S/N 56495, built 1960 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 175A
- Registry model: [Cessna 175A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-175a) (registry code 2072504) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental GO-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-go-300-series) (registry code 17024, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 56495
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Halverson, Michael T.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: SUN, HAILEY, ID
- Airport: 2U8, Thomas Creek Airstrip, runway 21, 2,100 × 110 ft, gravel

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 180 total, 130 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °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 19940306003909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940306003909A), Mar 6, 1994: Cessna STC175, Stanley, ID, Substantial damage. Failed arrest sink rate result hard landing. Sheared nose gear fork. Bounced. Landed mains. Strut dug in flipped.

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.

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