Cessna 172 N84468

Summary

On 24 June 1995 at about 18:45 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N84468 was involved in an accident near Gustavus, Alaska, United States. 3 people were 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

24 June 1995 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Gustavus, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Gustavus (GST)

Coordinates

58.4209, -135.7807

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N84468

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Juneau → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC95LA081

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE DIMINISHED NOSEWHEEL STEERING CAPABILITY DUE TO AN OVERINFLATED NOSEWHEEL STRUT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIR TAXI PILOT WAS LANDING THE TRICYCLE GEAR AIRPLANE ON A HARD SURFACED RUNWAY. HE SAID THE TOUCHDOWN WAS ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND WAS SMOOTH AND UNEVENTFUL UNTIL HE LOWERED THE NOSEWHEEL TO THE RUNWAY. ALSO, HE SAID THAT AS SOON AS THE NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT, AND THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO THE LEFT, AND THE NOSEWHEEL STRUT SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED, DAMAGING THE FIREWALL. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE HAD AN OVERSIZED NOSEWHEEL TIRE. AN FAA INSPECTOR, WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPLANE, SAID THE NOSEWHEEL STRUT MAY HAVE BEEN OVERINFLATED, WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO STEERING DIFFICULTIES. THE OPERATOR, WHO SUBMITTED THE NTSB ACCIDENT REPORT FORM, INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO PREACCIDENT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.