Cessna 172N N5118D

Summary

On 23 June 2005 at about 17:40 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N5118D was involved in an accident near Edgartown, Massachusetts, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 June 2005 at 17:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Edgartown, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Katama Airpark (1B2)

Coordinates

41.5417, -70.5244

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N5118D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Plymouth → Edgartown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC05LA106

3 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a go-around, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with terrain. [THIS REPORT WAS MODIFIED ON JUNE 10, 2008]

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

[ THIS REPORT WAS MODIFIED ON JUNE 10, 2008 ] The pilot of a red Waco biplane was back-taxiing on runway 3, a 3,700-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, turf runway. At the same time, a group of airplanes were approaching the airport as part of a pre-arranged Deaf Pilots Association fly-in. The pilot of the Waco stated that prior to the back-taxi he announced his intentions on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), did not hear a response, and did not observe any traffic in the area. About one-third down the runway, the pilot of the Waco observed an airplane on final approach for runway 3. The pilot of the Waco attempted to contact the airplane on final approach, but heard no response. The pilot of the Waco then taxied off the runway and waited until the landing airplane rolled past him. The pilot of the Waco announced his intentions on the CTAF, heard no response, and resumed the back-taxi on runway 3. About two-thirds down the runway, he observed another airplane approaching runway 6, and he again cleared runway 3 in case the landing pilot decided to land on runway 3. The second airplane subsequently landed on runway 6. The pilot of the Waco attempted to contact both pilots that landed, but heard no response. The pilot of the Waco again announced his intentions on the CTAF, heard no response, and resumed the back-taxi on runway 3. As the Waco approached the runway threshold, the accident airplane was on short final approach for runway 3, and began a go-around. During the go-around, the nose pitched up, the airplane stalled to the left, and impacted the runway. A passenger in the accident airplane reported that the accident airplane and Waco were nose to nose near the runway threshold. Another passenger in the accident airplane reported that the accident pilot panicked at the sight of the Waco. The pilot of the accident airplane was hearing impaired, and could not hear the stall warning horn.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.