# Accident 20081003847959A: Cessna 172R, Alton/St Louis, IL, October 3, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 3, 2008
- Place: Alton/St Louis, IL
- Airport: St Louis Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.8903° N, 90.0461° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8903&lon=-90.0461&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5172J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5172J-2018-02-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172R (registry code 2072401, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R
- Reported engine: LYC IO360L2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 20 total, 20 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN09CA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA002) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081003847959A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) STUDENT PILOT IS FLYING HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT.  ON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTS A TAXIWAY SIGN.  SKID MARK FROM THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE APPEARS TO START ON THE CENTER LINE OF THE RUNWAY.  IT IS ORIENTED WITH A LEFT DRIFT OF 2-3 DEGREES IT THEN CURVES TO THE LEFT ACHIEVING ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE RUNWAY BEFORE BECOMING DARKER AND CURVING TO THE RIGHT AS IT DEPARTS THE RUNWAY.  IN THE GRASS THE TRACKS CONTINUE TO CURVE TO THE RIGHT ACHIEVING ALIGNMENT PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY BEFORE TRACKING OVER THE SIGN PAD AND ENDING ON THE TAXIWAY ORIENT ABOUT 20 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF RUNWAY ALIGNMENT.  THE SIGN IS DESTROYED.  THE AIRCRAFT HAS DAMAGED PROPELLER, BROKEN NOSE WHEEL MOUNT, BENT FIREWALL, SEVERAL SKIN PUNCHERS ON THE BELLY AND TWO FLAT SPOTTED TIRES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN09CA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA002), Oct 3, 2008: Cessna 172 (N5172J), Alton, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. A contributing factor was the presence of the sign struck during the runway excursion.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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