Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 414 near Pleasanton, TX — 2014-06-16

Final reportCEN14CA295
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Date
2014-06-16
Location
Pleasanton, TX, USA
Airport
PEZ
Aircraft
CESSNA 414
Registration
N1671T
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an aborted landing due to an encounter with a tailwind.

NTSB narrative

The pilot obtained the airport's weather information prior to landing, which included wind from 250 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 20 knots. He realized that he would land with a 90 degree crosswind on either runway and elected to land on the runway 34. When the airplane was on short final, the pilot realized the wind had shifted to a direct tailwind and he immediately executed a go-around. The pilot established a 500 feet per minute climb at an airspeed of 120 knots. When the airplane was about 200-feet-above the ground, the airplane began to descend and the airspeed began to decrease. The pilot was unable to arrest the descent and lowered the airplane's nose in an attempt to gain airspeed, but the airplane stalled and rolled left The pilot leveled the wings and the airplane impacted the ground in a level attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane's fuselage and right wing. Wind reported five minutes after the accident was from 130 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 19 knots. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane or engines that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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