Lafayette Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lafayette, Tennessee 37083
Sunday, March 4, 2012 12:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot estimated the wind was from 270 degrees at 13 mph gusting to 25 mph when he was conducting a touch-and-go landing on runway 1. As the main landing gear touched down, a gust of wind lifted the airplane back into the air, to an altitude of about 8 feet above ground level. The airplane landed again, hard, on the runway, and the pilot added power to abort the landing. The pilot returned to his departure airport without further incident; however, subsequent examination revealed damage to the engine firewall. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s inadequate compensation for gusting crosswind conditions during landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/4/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Lafayette
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37083
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 363112N
Event Location Longitude 0860329W
Event Location Airport Lafayette Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3M7
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 969
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1215 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID GLW
Elevation of weather observation facility 716
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30325
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 10 2012 9:02AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53460
NTSB Number ERA12CA209
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S9351
Certified Max Gross Weight 2457
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name RJC ENTERPRISE LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3511 SILVERSIDE RD STE 105
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810-4902
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Robert Pesak
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Hermitage
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37076
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 M54
Departure City Lebanon
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code M54
Destination City Lebanon
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 10 2012 9:03AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 01
Runway Length 5200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --