BFO94LA116

Factual narrative

On June 26, 1994, about 1045 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N5435K, piloted by Robert W. Forbes, on a personal flight, was substantially damaged during landing at Massena, International Richards Field (MSS), Massena, New York. The pilot and three passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was being conducted under CFR 14 Part 91. In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated, ...A few minutes after departure I decided to return, due to moderate turbulence. I was on final approach for runway 27 with 0 flaps. The wind sock was indicating a wind direction equally between runways 27 and 23. As I touched down on the center of runway 27 and was about to lower the nose of the plane on the runway, a sudden, huge gust of wind hit me from the left side. It picked the left side of the plane first, then the whole plane off the runway, over the field north of the runway. I immediately tried to recover by advancing the throttle and using aileron and rudder, but my airspeed was to low for recovery. The plane hit the ground on the right wing tip, did a ground loop and landed on the left wing tip and came to rest with the right wing tip on the ground and the left wing tip in the air.... Post accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed, no discrepancies. The weather at MSS reported at 1050, was, 1500 feet scattered, 3000 feet broken, 7 miles visibility, Altimeter 29.72"Hg, winds were from 240 degrees at 24 knots with gusts up to 32 knots. AS THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 27, THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING LIFTED, AND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT STATED '...I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO RECOVER BY ADVANCING THE THROTTLE AND USING AILERON AND RUDDER, BUT MY AIRSPEED WAS TO LOW....' THE RIGHT WING TIP HIT THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED AND THE LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT ANOMALIES. WINDS REPORTED AT MASSENA INTERNATIONAL AT 1050, WERE FROM 240 DEGREES AT 24 KNOTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 32 KNOTS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12