20140213001359A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172R · Ellsworth, KS · February 13, 2014

Date: February 13, 2014 · 16:20 local
Place: Ellsworth, KS
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
Operator: KKCS
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N816KS
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN14CA152
Reported as: Cessna 172R
Reported engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 36 total36 in this make and model7 in the last 90 days

N816KSRegistration cancelled Jul 21, 2014 · Cessna 172RS/N 17280911 · Built 2000 Airframe modelCessna 172R Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft control was lost during the after landing roll. The left main gear caught a plowed snow ridge on the west (left) edge of the runway. This further pulled the aircraft to the left, also causing the nose gear to contact the plowed snow ridge. The aircraft flipped on it's back, causing the aircraft to be destroyed. The airman was able to evacuate the aircraft without injury.

Pilot's statement:

I was making my final approach to runway 35. I was on center line the whole way down. I started my flare to land. As I did this I moved to the left of center line. The runway was very narrow so I was almost taken off the runway. I attempted to do a go around but I couldn't react fast enough to keep the wheels off the ground. They touched down and began to pull me even more to the left because of heavily packed snow. I was diverted off the runway and the nose wheel caught the snow causing the aircraft to flip over head first.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS LOST DURING THE AFTER LANDING ROLL. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR CAUGHT A PLOWED SNOW RIDGE ON THE WEST (LEFT) EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THIS FURTHER PULLED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT, ALSO CAUSING THE NOSE GEAR TO CONTACT THE PLOWED SNOW RIDGE. THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED ON IT'S BACK, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BE DESTROYED. THE AIRMAN WAS ABLE TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY.

PILOT'S STATEMENT:

I WAS MAKING MY FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 35. I WAS ON CENTER LINE THE WHOLE WAY DOWN. I STARTED MY FLARE TO LAND. AS I DID THIS I MOVED TO THE LEFT OF CENTER LINE. THE RUNWAY WAS VERY NARROW SO I WAS ALMOST TAKEN OFF THE RUNWAY. I ATTEMPTED TO DO A GO AROUND BUT I COULDN'T REACT FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE WHEELS OFF THE GROUND. THEY TOUCHED DOWN AND BEGAN TO PULL ME EVEN MORE TO THE LEFT BECAUSE OF HEAVILY PACKED SNOW. I WAS DIVERTED OFF THE RUNWAY AND THE NOSE WHEEL CAUGHT THE SNOW CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER HEAD FIRST.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN14CA152Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportEllsworth, KSthe student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.Feb 13, 2014 · Substantial damage