N4390R

On August 8, 1994, at 1220 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N4390R, veered off the runway at Carson City, Nevada, and ground looped. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at Scapoose, Oregon, on the day of the accident at 0820 as a personal cross-country flight to Carson City, Nevada.

The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 27 and encountered a very strong left quartering wind gust at touchdown. The pilot was unable to maintain control of the aircraft and it veered off the runway and ground looped.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site and reported that the winds were from about 220 degrees at 15 knots with gusts he estimated at 25 knots or higher.

According to the Cessna Aircraft Company Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the model 172M, the maximum demonstrated crosswind for the aircraft is 15 knots. The minimum gust crosswind component for the FAA inspector-observed winds was computed at 17 knots.