CESSNA 172S
Lafayette, TN — March 4, 2012
Event Information
| Date | March 4, 2012 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA12CA209 |
| Event ID | 20120306X91216 |
| Location | Lafayette, TN |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 36.52000, -86.05805 |
| Airport | Lafayette Municipal |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | CESSNA |
| Model | 172S |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for gusting crosswind conditions during landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
Full Narrative
The pilot stated he was conducting touch and go landings. The surface winds, located 31 miles from the accident site were 270 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 20 knots. The pilot made an approach to runway 01. He estimated the winds at “270 degrees, at 13 miles gusting to 25 miles”. As the main landing gear touched down, a gust of wind lifted the airplane back into the air, about 8 feet above ground level. The airplane collided hard with the runway on the nose and main landing gear before the pilot could add power. The pilot returned to his departure airport without further incident. Examination of the airplane revealed it had sustained damage to the propeller and engine firewall. The pilot reported no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
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.