Summary
On September 25, 2012, a Cessna 175A (N6979E) was involved in an incident near Spearfish, SD. All 2 people 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 delayed decision to abandon the landing attempt, which resulted in the airplane colliding with rising terrain.
While attempting to land at a private airstrip, the pilot felt the airplane was too fast and too high on the first approach and he elected to perform a go-around. During the second approach, the airplane encountered a crosswind and the pilot aborted the landing. He applied takeoff power, lowered the flaps, pitched for a climb, and gained altitude. While maneuvering, the airplane encountered a downdraft. The airplane did not appear to be outclimbing the rising terrain, so the pilot decided to attempt a precautionary landing. During the landing, the airplane struck a roadway berm which separated the landing gear. The airplane came to rest upright. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane and noticed a small fire.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN12CA658. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N6979E.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's delayed decision to abandon the landing attempt, which resulted in the airplane colliding with rising terrain.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
While attempting to land at a private airstrip, the pilot felt the airplane was too fast and too high on the first approach and he elected to perform a go-around. During the second approach, the airplane encountered a crosswind and the pilot aborted the landing. He applied takeoff power, lowered the flaps, pitched for a climb, and gained altitude. While maneuvering, the airplane encountered a downdraft. The airplane did not appear to be outclimbing the rising terrain, so the pilot decided to attempt a precautionary landing. During the landing, the airplane struck a roadway berm which separated the landing gear. The airplane came to rest upright. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane and noticed a small fire. The pilot attempted to extinguish the fire, but was unsuccessful, and the airplane was consumed. The pilot reported that the airplane did not experience any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN12CA658