- Date
- January 1, 2023, 14:40, time zone not recorded
- Place
- Watsonville, CA · KWVI
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7181ACessna 172
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 106536
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 maintain clearance from powerlines during a go around.
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 student pilot reported that, she initiated a go around when she realized that she was low while on final approach. During the go around, the airplane struck powerlines, impacted terrain, and came to rest nose down. The right wing and the fuselage were substantially damaged. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7181A
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29281
- Built
- 1956
- Engine
- Continental O-300-A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Warmkessel James R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- WVI · Watsonville Muni, runway 20, 4,502 × 149 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 73
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 183 total · 168 in this make and model · 49 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.83 inHg
- Observed at
- KWVI
- METAR
- METAR KWVI 012253Z AUTO 18004KT 10SM CLR 14/03 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP102 T01440028=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 2, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 MB in all.