Cessna 172S N478SP

Summary

On 17 April 2023 at about 14:45 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N478SP, operated by Archimedes Aviation LLC, was involved in an accident near Fredericksburg, Texas, 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 April 2023 at 14:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Fredericksburg, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Gillespie County (T82)

Coordinates

30.1435, -98.5433

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N478SP

Category

Airplane

Year built

1998

Engines

1

Operator

Archimedes Aviation LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Austin → Fredericksburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA159

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during an attempted go-around resulting in abnormal contact with the runway pavement and a runway excursion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that when she checked the weather inbound to the airport, the wind was reported as calm. However, the wind may have shifted resulting in a tailwind on final approach. When it became apparent that the airplane was going to land long, she added full power to attempt a go-around. However, the airplane porpoised, the nose landing gear struck the runway and collapsed, and the airplane veered left and departed the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. She noted that initiating the go-around earlier may have prevented the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.