Cessna 140 N5623C

Summary

On 17 January 2017 at about 22:00 local time, a Cessna 140 registered N5623C was involved in an accident near Markleeville, California, United States. One person was 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

17 January 2017 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Markleeville, California, United States

Nearest airport

Alpine County (M45)

Coordinates

38.7169, -119.7450

Aircraft

Cessna 140

Registration

N5623C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1950

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Minden → Carson City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA118

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during a low pass and the subsequent impact with a snow berm, which resulted in a nosed-over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during a low pass to evaluate the snow-covered runway, the airplane descended to 4 ft above ground level. The airplane encountered a crosswind from the left, and the pilot accomplished a "slip to remain over the runway." However, the airplane descended, and the left main landing gear struck a snow berm and the airplane struck the runway and nosed over. Substantial damage was sustained to both wings, the rudder, and the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot asserted that he should have practiced what he teaches his students and stayed 300 ft above airports when performing a fly-over. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.