Carefree Skyranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carefree, Arizona 85377
Thursday, February 12, 1998 13:26 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While approaching the airport to land, the pilot attempted to obtain advisories and was not successful in obtaining any information after two attempts. He flew over a flag on downwind for runway 06. He said the winds were 'out of the East (from) 270 at approximately 10 mph.' The pilot claimed that after landing he experienced a wind shift which caused the airplane's left main wheel to drop off the edge of the runway and it struck a runway light. The initial police officer on the scene told the Safety Board that it appeared that the airplane landed with the wind instead of into the wind. The FAA Inspector who went to the scene said the pilot landed downwind and that there were residual tire marks from the left main tire as it skidded on the runway. A review of all available weather data from several airports in the local area revealed that the winds at the time of the accident were predominately from the west.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudging the wind direction and his selection of the wrong runway for the landing attempt.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/12/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1326
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CAREFREE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85377
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CAREFREE SKYRANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID E18
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2568
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID DVT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1476
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 221
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 12 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1404
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4385N
NTSB Number LAX98LA087
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 195
Aircraft Series Identifier 195
Aircraft Serial Number 7019
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 28 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 1618
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RODNEY R. HILL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8404 AUTO PLANE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City CAREFREE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85377
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FFZ
Departure City FALCON FIELD
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code E18
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --