Cessna 172N CGIUX

Summary

On 8 May 1999 at about 21:18 local time, a Cessna 172N registered CGIUX was involved in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 May 1999 at 21:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

North Las Vegas (VGT)

Coordinates

36.1694, -115.1210

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

CGIUX

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Coronado → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX99LA176

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's premature rotation during the aborted landing and his failure to attain and maintain sufficient airspeed, which resulted in a stall mush. Factors in the accident were the pilot's decision to attempt a landing in adverse wind conditions beyond the crosswind capability of the airplane and an inoperative stall warning horn system.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During each of the three attempted landings the pilot received surface wind information from the tower that was reporting variable wind conditions from 160 degrees to 210 degrees, with the velocity from 12 knots to 22 knots, including higher gusts to 25 knots. The pilot was cleared to land on runway 12, but was unable to maintain runway alignment due to the winds and performed a go-around. The tower subsequently cleared the pilot to land on runway 25; however, the pilot was unable to complete the second landing attempt and performed another go-around. He reported that on the third landing he compensated for the crosswind condition, but as the airplane touched down it was blown right of centerline. He aborted the landing, applied full power, and rotated at 45 knots. Due to obstructions, he did not lower the nose of the airplane to gain airspeed. After clearing the obstructions, he made a turn to the right and lowered the nose; however, the airplane continued to descend. The pilot said that as the airspeed decayed through 40 knots, he knew the airplane was going to stall. During the accident sequence he did not recall hearing the stall warning horn. The airframe and engine were examined on-scene. No discrepancies were noted with the engine. Examination of the stall warning horn system revealed that the reed assembly was missing and could not be located at the accident site. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane at a low altitude and then saw the right wing drop prior to striking the chain link fence. The maximum factory demonstrated crosswind capability for the Cessna 172 is 15 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.