N8895B

Substantial
Serious

CESSNA 172S/N: 36595

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
NTSB Number
ERA11CA331
Location
Ghent, NY
Event ID
20110609X25931
Coordinates
42.353889, -73.635559
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
1
Minor Injuries
2
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
4

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's delayed decision to abort the landing and execute a go-around.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N8895B
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
36595
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1957
Model / ICAO
172C172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
MERANDA SETH
Address
6517 LAYCOCK RD
Status
Deregistered
City
RIPLEY
State / Zip Code
OH 45167-9723
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the pilot, several minutes after takeoff the weather began to deteriorate and the sky turned black with convective activity reported in the area. He decided to divert to a nearby airport which had a 4,000-foot long by 75-foot wide turf runway. As the pilot approached the runway he could not determine where the approach end was located. The airplane approached the runway high and fast. The pilot did not think he would be able to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the runway, so he aborted the landing. One witness reported that the airplane aborted the landing with less than 1/4 of the runway's total length remaining. During the attempted climb out, the pilot felt that the engine felt less powerful and but could not recall any specific abnormal indications. Without sufficient airspeed to climb above approaching trees, the pilot stalled the airplane into a pond, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector following the accident revealed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures. The weather conditions reported at an airport 5 nautical miles southwest, about the time of the accident included a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius and a left quartering tailwind at 6 knots.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA331