Accident Cessna 172P N97306,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 291850
 
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Date:Thursday 31 August 2006
Time:18:11 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic C172 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 172P
Owner/operator:Tower 20 Enterprises Inc
Registration: N97306
MSN: 17276175
Year of manufacture:1984
Engine model:Lycoming O-320
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Spanish Springs, Nevada -   United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Santa Monica Airport, CA (SMO/KSMO)
Destination airport:Spanish Springs, NV (N86)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The airplane collided with a house during a go-around. The pilot was unfamiliar with the airport. Upon arrival, he flew around the airport at 5,600 feet mean sea level (msl); the airport elevation was 4,600 feet. UNICOM informed him that runway 16 was the preferred runway. He noted that the airport had a hill, which had silos on it, on the approach end of the runway. He maintained what he felt was a safe vertical separation from the silos, and came in a bit high as he set up for the landing. During his flare, he became aware that the runway sloped uphill. He was below the crest, and could not see how long the runway continued past it. He decided to go around, rather than rolling to the top and finding that the runway ended. Because of the runway slope, he felt that he could not level off and pickup speed. He pulled the nose up, and upon climbing above the crest, noticed houses at the end of the runway. He applied full power, and leaned the mixture for pattern altitude. The airplane started to climb, and he retracted the flaps up 1/2 notch; however, the airplane seemed to lose some lift. The terrain ahead sloped downhill to his left, so he banked slightly to the left. He maintained 60 knots, and noted that the stall warning horn did not sound. The airplane did not gain enough airspeed or altitude, and collided with the house. The Pilot Information Manual for the Model 172P states that during a go-around the flaps should be retracted to 20 degrees and the climb conducted at a speed of 55 knots. The density altitude was calculated to be 6,700 feet. The Airport/Facility Directory, Southwest U. S., indicated that that there was no line of sight between the ends of the runway. It stated that runway 16 had a 2.5 percent up gradient in the first 500 feet. The closest aviation weather reporting facility 14 nautical miles away was reporting winds from 060 degrees at 5 knots.

Probable Cause: the pilot's failure to initiate a timely go-around and to attain an adequate climb rate. Factors in the accident were the high density altitude and the likely quartering tail wind that may have affected the aircraft's climb gradient.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX06CA281
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 5 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX06CA281

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
07-Oct-2022 19:42 ASN Update Bot Added

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