Friday, February 03, 2012

Cessna 172E Skyhawk, N3879S: Accident occurred February 03, 2012 in Dinsmore, California

NTSB Identification: WPR12LA090
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, February 03, 2012 in Dinsmore, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/14/2013
Aircraft: CESSNA 172E, registration: N3879S
Injuries: 1 Serious,1 Minor.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

According to postaccident statements from both pilots, the flight instructor took control of the airplane from the student pilot either at touchdown or just before. The airplane bounced several times after touchdown while veering to the right, and the right main wheel rolled off the 48-foot wide runway into the grass. The flight instructor added full engine power to go around. The flight instructor stated that he pulled back on the yoke to try to clear the trees beyond the end of the runway, and the airplane stalled and hit the ground. After the airplane’s right wing tip contacted the ground, the airplane reversed direction and came to a stop. Shortly after the airplane came to rest, a postimpact fire began, which consumed the airplane. The student pilot, who was the airplane owner, reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The flight instructor's delayed remedial action, inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, and failure to attain/maintain adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around.

On February 3, 2012, about 1230 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172E, N3879S, veered off runway 27 during an aborted landing at the Dinsmore (uncontrolled) airport, Dinsmore, California. The airplane came to rest in a field about 50 yards beyond the runway’s end. A post impact ground fire occurred, which consumed the substantially damaged airplane. The commercial pilot holds a certified flight instructor (CFI) certificate, and he was seriously injured. The CFI was providing flight instruction to a student pilot, who was the airplane’s registered owner. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1115.

The student pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that the CFI directed him to land at the Dinsmore airport. However, on final approach, the CFI took the flight controls away from him. The student released the controls, and he did not touch them again. The wing flaps were extended to the 30-degree setting, and the CFI attempted to land. After touching down on the runway, the airplane bounced several times, the right main wheel rolled off the 48-foot wide runway into the grass, and the CFI attempted to go around. The CFI added full engine power, and the stall warning sounded as the airplane veered back across the runway as it continued to bounce. After the airplane’s right wing tip contacted the ground, the airplane reversed direction as it cartwheeled to a stop. Shortly after coming to rest, a post impact fire began, which consumed the airplane.

During a telephone conversation the CFI said they took off from Garberville about 1130 for an instructional session. He said he does not recall completely but believes he took over the controls either just after the student had landed or just before he touched down. The airplane was veering to the right and he decided to do a go around. The stall warning was going off during the go around at the west end of the runway. He said he was trying to go over the trees beyond the end of the runway; he pulled on the yoke to clear the trees and the airplane stalled and hit the ground.

The student pilot owner said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.








 On 2-3-2012, approximately 12:30 p.m., The Humboldt County Sheriffs Office was notified of an airplane crash at the Dinsmore Airport, Humboldt County. The plane was reported to have struck nose down, and had two occupants that were both injured.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputies and medical personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene, along with a California Highway Patrol Helicopter. A Trinity County Sheriff’s Deputy was also dispatched to the scene to assist due to the proximity of the airport to Trinity County.

When deputies arrived they learned the plane was a Cessna Model 172 E, built in 1963. The plane crashed as it was landing, and is reported to possibly have stalled. Two Cal-Trans workers were working on Highway 36, and heard and saw the crash. They rushed to aid the injured pilot and passenger. They assisted with removing both victims from the plane before it caught fire and burned. The plane was piloted by a 65 year old male flight instructor from Garberville when it crashed. The other victim was a 30 year old male student pilot from Redway. The 65 year instructor was flown to Redding Mercy Hospital for treatment for broken bones. The student pilot received only minor injuries.

Mike Downey
Sheriff

According to the photographer, Dottie Simmons, “The fuel was ejected burning for some distance….There is nothing left of the plane. But everyone will be OK. That is the plane owner talking to Sheriff Deputy.” She also added, “It was 2 people, one with minor injuries and one flown out with moderate injuries, a few broken bones but, as far as I know, nothing extremely serious.”

UPDATE 1:50 P.M.: KIEM is reporting,

Witnesses on the Scene say one person has been “life flighted” away from the scene. Reports are still coming into our newsroom but what we are being told is that plane was trying to land, flipped over and caught on fire.

UPDATE: 1:47 P.M.: The Humboldt Co. Sheriff Spokesperson Lt. Steve Knight says that “we just got on scene. No details yet.” I’ll update as information comes in.

UPDATE 1:03 P.M.:

The Record Searchlight is reporting,

A California Highway Patrol accident web site, which lists the 12:27 p.m., incident as an aircraft emergency, reports that those who were on the aircraft are out of it and that there were injuries. The extent of those injuries were not identified.

Flames were visible and it was reported that 29 gallons of gas were on board the six-seat airplane.

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A plane is said to have crashed at the Dinsmore Airport. Nosedown from first reports. Southern Trinity Area Rescue refused to confirm or deny reports citing that there was too much happening at the time for them to respond to questions. A resident though confirmed that “there was a plane incident” and said there were county vehicles etc. at the accident.


Lyle Johnson

Rescue crews at the scene of a plane crash Friday afternoon near the Dinsmore Airport in Humboldt County. The plane caught fire. At least one person survived the crash and was taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center in Redding.



DINSMORE -- A 65-year-old man identified as a flight instructor from Garberville suffered major facial injuries and a broken leg in an airplane crash at the Humboldt County-owned Dinsmore airport off Highway 36 near the Humboldt-Trinity border.

The flight instructor, who was airlifted to Mercy Medical Center in Redding for treatment, was able to get out of the airplane with his student before it was engulfed in flames, emergency personnel reported en route to the hospital.

A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said the 30-year-old student from Redway suffered bruises and scrapes in the crash.

The airplane, which crashed nose first, is registered to Tyler P. Lewis of Redway, according to FAA records.

A California Highway Patrol accident web site, which listed the 12:27 p.m., incident as an aircraft emergency, reported shortly after the crash that flames were visible and that 29 gallons of gas were on board the six-seat Cessna 172 aircraft.

The FAA spokesman said the aircraft, which was manufactured in 1963, was destroyed and the cause of the crash, which occurred off the end of the airport's runway, was not yet known.

It was reported that the airplane had stalled as it tried to land and that California Department of Transportation crews working on Highway 36 heard and saw the plane crash, Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey said.

They rushed to aid of the injured pilot and his passenger, he said, adding that they helped the pair get out of the plane before it caught fire and burned.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.