Pilot Debrief

CESSNA TR182 near Spotted Bear, MT — 2008-08-28

Final reportLAX08LA284
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Date
2008-08-28
Location
Spotted Bear, MT, USA
Airport
8U4
Aircraft
CESSNA TR182
Registration
N5523T
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the variable wind conditions and failure to maintain adequate airspeed during landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot flew over the destination airport and observed the runway's windsock before initiating a normal approach for landing. On short final approach the airplane's rate of descent rapidly increased. Despite the pilot's application of engine power, the airplane impacted the runway hard in a nose-low attitude. The pilot reported that he subsequently observed that the wind had reversed direction. He opined that the airplane's loss of lift was related to his failure to adequately compensate for the variable wind condition. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported by the pilot.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Adjusting approach speed for possible wind shift could have prevented the accident.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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