ATL02LA073

Factual narrative

On April 4, 2002, at 1730 central standard time, a Cessna 172P, N64079, registered to Ferguson Aviation, collided the ground during an attempted landing at Ferguson Airport in Pensacola, Florida. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight departed Pensacola, Florida, at 1610, on April 4, 2002. According to the fixed base operator, the pilot had been conducting a pleasure flight, which included closed traffic at the private airport. The pilot had attempted several approaches to runway 18 without landing. However, according to the fixed based operator, several failed attempts were made to establish radio contact over the UNICOM frequency with the pilot of the accident airplane. The fixed base operator was concerned about the pilot attempting a landing with a tail wind. But, the pilot stated that after the second approach and go-around to runway 18 he discovered that the winds had shifted and favored runway 36. At that time, the pilot said, he changed his approach to runway 36. Witnesses saw the airplane on the accident approach to runway 18, and again the pilot appeared to execute a go-around followed by a right turn. The airplane descended behind a tree line. According to a pilot taxing for takeoff, the airplane bounced on the runway, turned to the northwest, touched down on the ground and collided with a tree. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right wing assemblies were damaged and the fuselage also sustained structural damage. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the accident. The prevailing winds were 330 degrees at 12 knots, at the approximate time of the attempted landing. The pilot had been conducting a pleasure flight, which included closed traffic at the private airport. The pilot had attempted several approaches to runway 18 without landing. However, according to the fixed based operator, several failed attempts were made to establish radio contact over the UNICOM frequency with the pilot of the accident airplane. The fixed base operator was concerned about the pilot attempting a landing with a tailwind. The pilot stated that after the second approach and go-around to runway 18 he discovered that the prevailing winds had shifted and favored runway 36. Witnesses saw the airplane on the accident approach to runway 18, and again the pilot appeared to execute a go-around, however, another pilot taxing for takeoff, saw the airplane bounced on the runway, turned to the northwest, touched down on the ground again and collided with a tree. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right wing assemblies were damaged and the fuselage also sustained structural damage. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the accident. The prevailing winds were 330 degrees at 12 knots at the approximate time of the attempted landing. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12