AGUA CALIENTE, CA, USA
N78669
CESSNA 172K
IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THE PILOT SAID THAT HE LANDED AT THE AIRPORT AND TOOK OFF AGAIN TO PERFORM ONE MORE LANDING. ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT SAID HE DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT 'WAS SINKING TOO FAST AND WOULD LAND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.' HE SAID THAT HE 'ADDED FULL POWER AND TRIED TO BRING THE NOSE UP,' BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SETTLE AND STRUCK THE GROUND ABOUT 60 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. IN A VERBAL STATEMENT TO FAA INSPECTORS, THE PILOT SAID HE LET THE AIRCRAFT STALL ON SHORT FINAL. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, HE SAID THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY MAINTAINING A 'HIGHER APPROACH SPEED.'
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE APPROACH AIRSPEED AND AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH CONDITION WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOTS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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