ATL93LA073

Factual narrative

On April 15, 1993, at about 1415 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N70397, collided with a fence during landing at Greenville, Tennessee. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed for the business flight. There were no injuries to the commercial pilot, while the airplane was substantially damaged. Origination of the flight was Charlotte, North Carolina, at about 1300. The pilot reported that he landed with the flaps fully extended. Wind conditions were gusty. The Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) at Greenville, at 1420, indicated that the winds were from 150 degrees at 11 knots, with gusts to 22 knots. The pilot reported that he observed the wind sock during the entry to the landing pattern standing straight out, and favoring runway 23. On landing, the pilot said, the airplane ballooned up, was shifted laterally by the wind, and he lost directional control. The airplane ran through a perimeter fence and down a hill. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical malfunctions. The Pilot's Operating Handbook for a like make and model airplane states that landings in strong crosswinds should be made with the minimum flaps required for the runway length. Runway 23 was 6,302 feet long. BECAUSE OF A STRONG WIND GUST DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED BACK INTO THE AIR, & DRIFTED OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT TRIED TO ABORT THE LANDING BY ADDING POWER & APPLYING FULL LEFT RUDDER & AILERON. HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE HIT THE GROUND, WHICH BROKE OFF THE NOSE GEAR. IT THEN CONTINUED & COLLIDED WITH THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITH THE FLAPS FULLY EXTENDED. HE HAD ASKED FOR ADVISORIES ON UNICOM BUT COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSE. THE RUNWAY WAS OVERFLOWN & HE NOTED THAT THE WIND SOCK WAS STRAIGHT OUT, & PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 23. A CESSNA 172 PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK INDICATES THAT MINIMUM FLAPS, CONSISTENT WITH RUNWAY LENGTH, SHOULD BE USED FOR LANDINGS IN STRONG CROSSWINDS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12