# NTSB WPR11CA194: Cessna 172R, N423ES, Othello, WA, April 8, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 8, 2011, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Othello, WA - Coordinates: 46.794723, -119.079719 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.7947&lon=-119.0797&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 20, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 78822 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR11CA194 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78822/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78822 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA194 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional during the landing roll. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: variable wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 75 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a weather briefing. He preflighted the airplane and flew to a nearby airport to practice landings. He said while on final approach, he noticed the windsock start to whip, and he used ailerons to stop the airplane's southerly drift. He said the airplane bounced around as he approached touchdown. Immediately after touchdown, the airplane veered left (south) off the asphalt and into a freshly plowed field. The airplane's nose wheel dug into the soft soil and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane's right wing lift strut was bent, both wings were wrinkled, the aft empennage was bent and wrinkled on the bottom, and the vertical stabilizer was bent. ## Factual narrative The pilot said that he had obtained a weather briefing before coming to the airport. After completing a preflight inspection of the airplane, he flew to a nearby airport to practice landings. He reported flying over the airfield to observe the windsock, which indicated a wind he estimated to be out of the north about 5 knots. The pilot flew a right traffic pattern to runway 25. While on final approach, he noticed the windsock start to "whip," and he used ailerons to stop the airplane's southerly drift. He said the airplane started bouncing around as he approached touchdown. Immediately after touchdown, the airplane veered left (south) off the asphalt and into a freshly plowed field. The airplane's nose wheel dug into the soft soil and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane's right wing lift strut was bent, both wings were wrinkled, the aft empennage was bent and wrinkled on the bottom, and the vertical stabilizer was bent. At 1705, the reported winds at Hanford, Washington, bearing 225 degrees at 18 nautical miles from the accident site, were from 340 degrees at 9 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N423ES](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N423ES-2013-06-07), registration cancelled 2013-06-07, S/N 17280258, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17280258 - Airframe hours: 809 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Kennewick Aircraft Services Inc. - Registered owner: Kennewick Aircraft Services Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 21, 2011 - Departed: RLD, Richland, WA - Destination: S70, Othello, WA - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: S70, Othello Municipal Airport, runway 25, 3,564 × 45 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 25, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 150 total, 17 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: RLD, 30 nm away ## 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 20110408006069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110408006069A), Apr 8, 2011: Cessna 172R, Othello, WA, Substantial damage. Pilot planned his flight from richland, WA. (Rld) to Othello WA. (S70) and return. Upon arrival at (S70) pilot flew over the airport and observed the airport… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78822. 456 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 456 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40346641&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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.