Cessna 172S N480DW

Summary

On 8 June 2002 at about 19:00 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N480DW was involved in an accident near Goldfield, Nevada, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 June 2002 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Goldfield, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Goldfield (0L5)

Coordinates

37.7311, -117.2378

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N480DW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Goldfield → North Las Vegas

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX02LA192

4 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a high density altitude takeoff. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of experience in the type of operation and a wind gust.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot loaded the airplane to within 200 pounds of its maximum certificated gross weight. He then attempted to depart from a gravel airstrip at an elevation of 5,680 feet mean sea level. The calculated density altitude was over 8,000 feet. The airplane became airborne after the pilot rotated at 60 knots during the short field takeoff. Upon climbing about 100 feet above ground level the pilot retracted the wing flaps. Immediately thereafter, the airplane suddenly rolled left, lost airspeed, and settled into the ground coming to rest about 0.79 miles from the field. The pilot opined that, although the wind was calm upon initiating the takeoff, he had experienced a wind gust and turbulence that caused the airplane to roll violently to the left. The pilot acknowledged that, thereafter, he was able to level the airplane's wings although the airspeed had decreased and the airplane was settling. Regarding the pilot's experience, he reported that he did not have any previous experience taking off from the Goldfield Airport under these combined high density altitude and gross weight conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.