Summary
On April 20, 2007, a Cessna 172I (N35562) was involved in an accident near Peach Springs, AZ. The accident resulted in 2 minor injuries, with 1 person uninjured out of 3 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the gusty wind condition encountered on final approach, resulting in a loss of control and an in-flight collision with a dirt berm. A contributing factor was the gusty wind condition.
The pilot reported that he made a low pass to observe the windsock prior to entering the pattern for a landing on runway 17. He observed that the wind was light and variable. At an altitude of about 20 feet above ground level on final approach, a wind gust "lifted the right wing" and "pushed the airplane approximately 10 feet off to the left of the runway." The pilot noted that the airplane's airspeed had decayed from about 65 to 70 knots down to 40 to 45 knots. He leveled the wings, added power, and attempted to regain airspeed. However, the airplane "lost all remaining lift" and the nose gear impacted a dirt berm. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
This accident is documented in NTSB report SEA07CA109. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N35562.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the gusty wind condition encountered on final approach, resulting in a loss of control and an in-flight collision with a dirt berm. A contributing factor was the gusty wind condition.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he made a low pass to observe the windsock prior to entering the pattern for a landing on runway 17. He observed that the wind was light and variable. At an altitude of about 20 feet above ground level on final approach, a wind gust "lifted the right wing" and "pushed the airplane approximately 10 feet off to the left of the runway." The pilot noted that the airplane's airspeed had decayed from about 65 to 70 knots down to 40 to 45 knots. He leveled the wings, added power, and attempted to regain airspeed. However, the airplane "lost all remaining lift" and the nose gear impacted a dirt berm. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA07CA109