CESSNA 172N
Boulder, CO — January 25, 2014
Event Information
| Date | January 25, 2014 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN14CA123 |
| Event ID | 20140127X04939 |
| Location | Boulder, CO |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 40.03917, -105.21694 |
| Airport | BOULDER MUNI |
| Highest Injury | MINR |
Aircraft
| Make | CESSNA |
| Model | 172N |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 3 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 3 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during final approach with known turbulence present.
Full Narrative
The pilot flew a round robin cross-country flight to practice touch and go landings at nearby airports. At one airport, he aborted the landing due to "moderate to severe turbulence on final." During the approach to the destination airport, he aborted his first approach due to strong winds and turbulence and decided to go around. During his second approach, the airplane lost about 200 feet of altitude following a downdraft. The pilot applied full throttle to gain airspeed. A wind gust lifted the airplane's right wing and the pilot applied full right aileron. The airplane's left wing, the left main landing gear, and the nose landing gear impacted terrain where the airplane skidded for 100 to 150 feet and sustained substantial wing damage. Subsequent to the accident, the pilot became aware of the airport/facility directory remarks for turbulence associated with the selected runway. Additionally, he reported that the airplane did not have any mechanical malfunctions during the accident flight.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.