Cessna 172P accident near Summersville, WV
On August 11, 1996, a Cessna 172P (airplane) was involved in an accident near Summersville, WV. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 11, 1996
- Place
- Summersville, WV
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.281°N, 80.841°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06522
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 11, 1996, at 1150 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N65632, descended through trees, impacted the ground, and was destroyed by fire during an attempted go around at Gerald L. Rader Field in Summersville, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot and the two passengers sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a VFR flight plan was filed. The pleasure flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. The airplane departed Ona Airpark, in Milton, West Virginia at approximately 1000. One witness explained that he and his wife were standing on the parking ramp at Summersville airport when their attention was first drawn to N65632. He said that he was listening to his hand-held VHF radio when the pilot called Summersville traffic and advised that N65632 intended to land on runway 07. The only runway at Summersville is oriented 04 and 22. The witness reported that he said to his wife, "I've got a bad feeling about this guy, go get the camera." The witness said the pilot's first approach was "...steep and fast." He said that when the pilot flared for touchdown the airplane "...ballooned up and drifted off the runway." He said the pilot then applied power for a go-around. The witness added, "That first one really scared me, I thought he was going to hit the building [FBO office adjacent to the runway]." The witness reported that he did not watch the airplane on climb out, crosswind, or on its downwind turn. He said his attention was diverted to an airplane with parachutists aboard that was preparing
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare, his delay in aborting a landing, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a bounced landing and a stall during climb out in an attempt to avoid collision with trees.
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Browse: West Virginia · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
