- Date
- December 5, 2009, 16:45 local (Dec 6, 2009, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Diamond Point, WA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N20186Cessna 172M
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20091205052199A
- Case key
- 75138
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 inadequate compensation for the variable and unfavorable wind conditions.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was landing at a non-controlled airport where variable gusty winds were present. While on final, she encountered a right crosswind and then both updrafts and downdrafts as she crossed over a cliff under the flight path. The pilot said that while the touchdown was uneventful, as the airplane slowed during the landing roll it encountered a right crosswind gust and the right wing lifted. Although the pilot attempted remedial flight control inputs and added power, the left wing scrapped the runway surface and the airplane rotated to the left, exposing it to a nearly direct tailwind. As the pilot attempted to bring it back under control, the airplane nosed over onto its back. According to the pilot, there was no indication of any problem with the flight control or nosewheel steering systems. The pilot also stated that the winds from the north were unusual for this airport, and that she based her assumptions as to what would happen on the runway on the normal westerly or southeasterly winds.
Factual narrative
The pilot was landing at a non-controlled airport where variable gusty winds were present. While on final, she encountered a right crosswind, and then both updrafts and down drafts as she crossed over a cliff under the flight path. The pilot said that while the touchdown was uneventful, as the airplane slowed during the landing roll, it encountered a right crosswind gust, and the right wing lifted. Although the pilot attempted remedial flight control inputs and added power, the left wing scrapped the runway surface, and the airplane rotated to the left, exposing it to a nearly direct tailwind. As the pilot attempted to bring it back under control, the airplane nosed over onto its back. According to the pilot, there was no indication of any problem with the flight control or nose wheel steering systems. The pilot also stated that the winds from the north were unusual for this airport, and that she based her assumptions as to what would happen on the runway on the normal westerly or southeasterly winds.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20186
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17261079
- Airframe hours
- 7,684
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Carl Peecher
- Registered owner
- Carl Peecher
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 8, 2009
- Departed
- KBFI · Seattle, WA
- Destination
- 2WA1 · Diamond Point, WA
- Airport
- 2WA1 · Diamond Point, runway 29, 2,300 × 24 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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 426 total · 80 in this make and model · 377 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 18, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
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 N20186 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.