N5226K

On October 22, 2000, at 1140 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N5226K, overran the runway during landing, and collided with a fence at the Half Moon Bay Airport, Half Moon Bay, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the certificated commercial pilot and one of his two passengers received minor injuries. The second passenger was not injured. The airplane owner, d.b.a. Coast Flight, operated the sightseeing flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight had originated from the Half Moon Bay airport about 1030. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that as he initiated his approach to runway 30 he noticed strong gusty winds and low-level shear conditions. To compensate, he increased his approach airspeed and left the flaps in their retracted position. While continuing over the approach end of the runway, he encountered an area with a high sink rate. He immediately added full power to stop his descent. With full power, and with the airplane's nose about 5 degrees above the horizon, the airplane began to climb slowly. At this point, the pilot encountered a strong, gusting, right quartering headwind that lifted the right wing and resulted in a loss of altitude. In response, as the airplane touched down beyond the departure end of the runway, the closed the throttle. The airplane rolled through a fence before coming to a stop.

Winds at the closest weather reporting station San Francisco International Airport (SFO), were 360 at 18 knots gusting to 22 knots.