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WPR20CA095

2020-02-27 · Dubois, Idaho, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport U41

Current FAA registration · N7904G

Make / Model
CESSNA 172L
Year of manufacture
1970 · 50 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19710218
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AABAF0

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's failure to maintain a proper airspeed and descent rate while conducting a low pass over a snow-covered runway after encountering a downdraft and the flight instructor's delayed action, which resulted in the wheels contacting the snow and the airplane nosing over.

Factual narrative

The flight instructor reported that during the instructional flight, the student was making a low pass over the snow-covered runway when they experienced a downdraft that decreased the airspeed and increased the descent rate. The flight instructor reported that he was too relaxed and should have added power at that moment, but didn't. The airplane's wheels made contact with the snow and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor reported that, during the instructional flight, the student was making a low pass over the snow-covered runway when the airplane encountered a downdraft that decreased the airspeed and increased the descent rate. The instructor reported that he was too relaxed and should have added power at that moment but didn't. The wheels contacted the snow, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent rate-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Downdraft-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_WPR20CA095.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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