Shoshone Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shoshone, California 92384
Saturday, December 18, 1999 11:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated he overflew the runway to try and determine the wind direction and speed before he attempted to land. He said that the windsock was in tatters and he was unable to determine the wind volume, but that it was right down the runway. He set up for a short field landing using 40 degrees of flaps. The pilot said that as he flared for landing a microburst lifted the right wing and he was unable to regain directional control of the airplane before it exited the runway and struck a bush. A local police officer that interviewed the pilot said that the pilot told him that he asked his passenger to raise the flaps while he powered up the engine while they were in the air, trying to regain control of the airplane. The officer said that when he arrived shortly after the accident, the 'wind was very strong and the windsock was horizontal to the ground.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing strong and gusting wind conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/18/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SHOSHONE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92384
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport SHOSHONE AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L61
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 330
Airport Elevation 1568
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1156 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 65
Weather Observation Facility ID LAS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2179
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 52
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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) 1935
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 18 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N34261
NTSB Number LAX00LA053
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 172A
Aircraft Series Identifier 172A
Aircraft Serial Number 0622
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 6 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3732
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KATIE DAVIS CHRISTMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City MOJAVE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHARLES R. CHRISTMAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 MHV
Departure City MOHAVE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code L61
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 24 2001 8:43AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 2380
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --