N739HA

On September 2, 2000, at 1928 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N739HA, was substantially damaged when the aircraft veered off runway 25 during an aborted landing at the North Las Vegas, Nevada, airport. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The personal flight was operated by the owner under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local area personal flight that departed from North Las Vegas at 1800.

By telephone, on the evening of the accident, the pilot told the Safety Board investigator that his first approach to runway 25 terminated in a low approach and go-around. On the second approach the wind blew the aircraft to the right of the centerline and he again initiated a go-around, this time from 20 - 25 feet agl. After initiating the go-around, the wind blew the aircraft further to the right, and the aircraft kept descending until it contacted the ground in the dirt off the runway. The nose wheel dug into the dirt and the aircraft came to rest about 100 yards north of runway 25 about midfield. A special weather observation taken at North Las Vegas at 1928 reported the wind from 180 degrees at 10 knots.

In his written report to the Safety Board the pilot reported he had stalled the aircraft during attempted go-around and there were no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft.