Cessna 172M N5285H

Summary

On 12 May 2007 at about 22:00 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N5285H was involved in an accident near St. George, Utah, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 May 2007 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

St. George, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

St George Muni (SGU)

Coordinates

37.0906, -113.5931

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N5285H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spanish Fork → St George

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX07CA169

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate compensation for a gusting crosswind and his failure to maintain directional control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane veered off of runway 16 and ground looped during the landing roll in strong crosswind conditions. The pilot stated in a written report that he checked the AWOS as he approached the airport and noted a direct crosswind of higher velocity than made him comfortable. He continued to circle north of the airport until he observed the winds drop to 19 knots. He decided to enter the pattern for runway 16 and perform a go-around to, "feel the winds." After a successful go-around, he elected to come around the pattern again and attempt a landing. The pilot said, "I set a little crab on final the second time around and executed a very smooth descent, flare and landing. Between five hundred feet and one thousand feet after touchdown, the airplane started to turn right, and I couldn't apply enough left rudder to stop it." The airplane departed the runway and the propeller struck a taxiway light and the left wing tip made contact with the ground. The airplane came to rest 30 feet beyond the runway edge. At 1555, the airport's AWOS reported winds of 250 degrees at 21 knots, gusting to 27 knots. The Pilot's Operating Handbook for a 1976 Cessna 172M states that, "The maximum allowable crosswind velocity is dependent on pilot capability as well as aircraft limitations. With average pilot technique, direct crosswinds of 15 knots can be handled with safety." The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.