N3554Q – CESSNA 172M – 2009-02-07 NTSB Accident Report

On February 07, 2009, a Cessna 172M (N3554Q) was involved in an incident near Le Roy, NY. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind during an aborted landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to land in gusting crosswinds in excess of the manufacturer's recommended crosswind limit.

The pilot stated that a strong gust of wind pushed the airplane off the right side of the runway and into a snow bank during an aborted landing to runway 28. The airplane received damage to both wings and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot had also aborted two previous landing attempts. Winds reported at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, were from 200 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 22 knots. According to the airplane's owner's manual, the crosswind limit for pilots with "average" ability was 15 knots. The pilot reported no deficiencies with the performance and handling of the airplane.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA09CA160. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N3554Q.