Cessna 172N N3484E

Summary

On 3 April 2011 at about 18:00 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N3484E, operated by Peak Aviation Center Inc, was involved in an accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. 2 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

3 April 2011 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Colorado Springs Municipal (KCOS)

Coordinates

38.8058, -104.7008

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N3484E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Peak Aviation Center Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Colorado Springs → Colorado Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11CA261

Nobody was injured.

The pilot loss of directional control during landing in gusty crosswind conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

As the pilot returned to the local airport, the airport tower controller informed him of a storm cell approaching the airfield, issued a clearance to land, and reported wind from 70 degrees left of runway heading at 25 knots gusting to 34 knots. The pilot estimated the wind at 18 knots of crosswind, and landed using 40 degrees of flaps. While on the landing roll, the wind shifted to a tailwind at which time the airplane began to drift to the right side of the runway. The pilot attempted to go-around, but could not regain control of the airplane. He then elected to abort the go-around and attempted to bring the airplane to a stop. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and continued into a field. The airplane encountered uneven terrain and the airplane nosed over. Substantial damage was sustained to the airplane's wings and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact malfunctions with the airplane. A review of air traffic control transmissions revealed the pilot was aware of alerts for low-level windshear and microbursts during this local flight. The airplane's pilot operating handbook directs pilots to utilize the minimum flap setting required for field length while operating in strong crosswind conditions. In addition, the handbook does not state a maximum allowable crosswind velocity, but states that average pilot technique should be able to handle 15 knots of crosswind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.