Cessna 175 N7164M

Summary

On 13 November 1999 at about 20:15 local time, a Cessna 175 registered N7164M was involved in an accident near Garden Valley, Idaho, United States. 2 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

13 November 1999 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Garden Valley, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Deadwood Dam (66U)

Coordinates

44.0800, -115.8507

Aircraft

Cessna 175

Registration

N7164M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Indian Creek → Deadwood Dam

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA00LA022

Nobody was injured.

An improper in-flight decision by the pilot-in-command to attempt a landing at a confined-area airstrip which was beyond his piloting capabilities, and his subsequent failure to take adequate remedial action upon encountering a downdraft. Related factors were the downdraft and lack of total experience in confined area landings.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that after clearing trees on final approach, the airplane began to settle, then entered a rapid sink rate and touched down hard on all three landing gear. The airplane bounced twice, and on the third touchdown, the nose gear strut collapsed and the airplane slid on its nose before coming to rest. The pilot stated he believed that the airplane 'entered a wind sheer [sic] or down draft' after clearing the trees on final. Data on the airstrip obtained from the Internet and attributed to the FAA indicate that the airstrip (which is located in remote and rugged terrain) is maintained for government use only by the U.S. Forest Service, is recommended for emergency use only, and that only light planes piloted by experienced pilots should attempt to use the airstrip. The pilot-in-command, a private pilot, had accumulated approximately 193 hours total flight time (including about 2 hours in make and model) and did not have a current flight review. The landing attempt was not due to an emergency, but was made (according to the second pilot) 'due in part to the good weather conditions and light fuel load.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.