ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 311864
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| Date: | Saturday 10 July 2021 |
| Time: | 13:17 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 172R |
| Owner/operator: | Christiansen Aviation Inc |
| Registration: | N996RA |
| MSN: | 17280404 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1998 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 8569 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360-L2A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Petaluma, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | San Carlos Airport, CA (SQL/KSQL) |
| Shelter Cove, CA (0Q5) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that, about 20 minutes into the cross-country flight, the airplane experienced a partial electrical failure which caused the intercom, radio, transponder, flaps, and some engine instruments to go offline, although the voltmeter and ammeter were still showing normal readings.
The pilot cycled both the master and avionics master switches, with no improvement, and decided to divert to the nearest untowered airport. During the descent and approach, he became distracted multiple times as he heard intermittent short "blips" from the intercom.
The pilot entered a right downwind entry into the traffic pattern and planned for a no-flap landing. He overshot to the right of the runway centerline as they turned from the base to final leg. He was able to maneuver to rejoin the centerline by the time they reached short final. They passed over the runway threshold with a left crosswind, and as the pilot initiated the flare, he felt the airplane sink aggressively, and he realized that he had initiated the flare too high. The airplane drifted to the right of the runway surface and landed hard in the grass in a nose high attitude. The lower fuselage and wing strut was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that an on-airport mechanic examined the airplane after the accident and was not able to find any issues with the electrical system.
The pilot reported that, he had significant astigmatism and myopia, and used contact lenses for all previous flights, however the accident flight was the first time he had flown with eyeglasses after experiencing a contact lens malfunction that morning. He also reported that although he had performed multiple no-flap landings in the past, the accompanying change in forward visibility over the nose in concert with the use of eyeglasses instead of contact lenses, resulted in a changed sight picture and reduced peripheral vision.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing following a partial loss of electrical power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction and hampered visual function.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB WPR21LA269
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-May-2023 05:20 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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