Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Griswold, Iowa 51535
Saturday, June 30, 2012 20:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and passenger departed from a 2,500-foot-long private airstrip; they then made two passes over the airstrip before returning to land the airplane. The pilot reported that his vision was affected by the setting sun, crop shadows, and a barn during the landing and that he landed long and fast. As the end of the airstrip approached, the pilot applied power for a go-around, but, according to the pilot, the engine did not produce power; the airplane became airborne, and the pilot turned left, but the airplane could not hold altitude. The airplane impacted a field just south of the airstrip. A witness reported that the engine maintained power throughout the accident sequence; additional witnesses reported that the airplane lost airspeed and stalled while in a turn. Examination of the propeller blades revealed signatures consistent with engine power being produced at the time of impact; examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preaccident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The accident is consistent with inadequate airspeed followed by an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around, resulting in an aerodynamic stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Griswold
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 51535
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412000N
Event Location Longitude 0950500W
Event Location Airport Private
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2035 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID KAIO
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.83
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30533
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 14 2012 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73182
NTSB Number CEN12LA408
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17267309
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Feb 2 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4704
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name SUDMANN ELIMAR F
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ATLANTIC
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 50022
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name SUDMANN ELIMAR F
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ATLANTIC
Operator State IA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 50022
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 KAIO
Departure City Atlantic
Departure State IA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Griswold
Destination State IA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2012 10:14AM
User who most recently changed record hatc
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --