Cessna 172S N505LP

Summary

On 22 December 2020 at about 17:00 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N505LP, operated by Wifa (Washington International Flight Academy) LLC, was involved in an accident near Culpeper, Virginia, 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

22 December 2020 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Culpeper, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Culpepper (CJR)

Coordinates

38.5244, -77.8604

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N505LP

Category

Airplane

Year built

2000

Engines

1

Operator

Wifa (Washington International Flight Academy) LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gaithersburg → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA092

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to land the airplane in crosswind conditions that exceeded the airplane’s maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to practice crosswind landings, and she described experiencing gusty wind conditions on her arrival at the destination airport. She believed that the wind conditions that prevailed at the time would have resulted in a direct left crosswind of 20 knots (the wind conditions recorded by the airport’s automated weather observation system indicated that a crosswind of 16 knots, gusting to 29 knots prevailed about the time of the accident). While on final approach, and with 20° of flaps extended, she maintained a normal approach speed plus an additional 7 knots. During the landing flare, a gust of wind struck the airplane. The airplane then struck the ground, ballooned back into the air, and landed hard. After landing, she taxied to the ramp and secured it. The lower portion of the airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Pilot’s Operating Handbook and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Approved Airplane Flight Manual specified the maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity for the airplane was 15 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.