Cessna 172M accident near Patterson, Louisiana, May 4, 2001
On May 4, 2001 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N5247R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Patterson, Louisiana (H. P. Williams Memorial Air airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control during the go-around. A contributing factor was the wind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2001 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Patterson, Louisiana · H. P. Williams Memorial Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N5247R · registry record · serial 17263461
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing flare, the airplane encountered a gust of wind. After the pilot applied full power to initiate a go-around, the airplane impacted the runway on the right main wheel and on the nose wheel. The go-around was continued and a normal landing ensued. Subsequent inspection of the airplane revealed damage to the firewall.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 3,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2001; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTN Patterson LA
- Destination: PTN Patterson LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,401 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.