Cottonwood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cottonwood, Arizona 86326
Wednesday, May 3, 1989 18:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ON DOWNWIND FOR THE AIRPORT WHEN HE NOTICED A DIRECT CROSSWIND FROM APPROXIMATELY 230 DEGREES. HE SAID HE HAD THE AIRPLANE DOWN ON ALL WHEELS ON RUNWAY 14 WHEN A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE PLANE AND SPUN IT TO THE RIGHT. THE LEFT WING AND LEFT STABILIZER IMPACTED THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PIC WHEN HE DECIDED TO LAND WITH SUCH A CROSSWIND, AND NOT MAINTAINING COMPENSATION FOR THE CROSSWIND AFTER HE DECIDED TO ATTEMPT THE LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City COTTONWOOD
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86326
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COTTONWOOD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID P52
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3500
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 586
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 5 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40025
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9924N
NTSB Number LAX89LA179
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 180
Aircraft Series Identifier 180
Aircraft Serial Number 18052579
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Dec 21 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 1725
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARIZONA NORTHERN EQUIPMENT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1109 S PLAZA WAY #222
Aircraft Owner City FLAGSTAFF
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86001
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AZ NORTHERN EQUIPMENT INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1109 S. PLAZA WAY #222
Operator City FLAGSTAFF
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 86001
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 5C00
Departure City DURANGO
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code P52
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 4250
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --