Cessna 172P N97613

Summary

On 30 June 1997 at about 21:30 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N97613 was involved in an accident near Tioga, Pennsylvania, United States. 4 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 June 1997 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Tioga, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Bear Crik Airstrip (42PA)

Coordinates

41.8994, -77.1295

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N97613

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wellsboro → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC97LA131

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's improper inflight decision to land downwind with an inoperative airspeed indicator, and his improper landing flare.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After takeoff, the airspeed indicator failed, and the pilot diverted to another airport. The pilot removed mud from the pitot tube and refueled the airplane. He then departed with the passengers to return to the original point of departure, and while en route the airspeed indicator failed again. According to the pilot, '...As (the destination) has 50ft obstacle on one end, I elected to land downwind...I made a low and as slow an approach...Upon landing I found I was too fast and applied full brakes on uneven terrain. Front wheel broke off and I held the airplane up...When the front came down, the gear post dug into the strip and the aircraft flipped on it's back...' Examination of the airplane and the grass airstrip revealed that the airplane touched down on the first one-third of the runway. The airplane bounced and touched down about 1,000 feet from the approach end of the runway. It then became airborne again, touched down 500 feet later, and the nose wheel dug into the dirt and the airplane nosed over.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.