# Accident 20150315020259A: Cessna 172C, Williamson, GA, March 15, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 15, 2015, 12:00 local time
- Place: Williamson, GA
- Airport: Peach State
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.0000° N, 84.0000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0000&lon=-84.0000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8452X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8452X) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172C (registry code 2072408, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA15LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA160) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150315020259A

## Narrative

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

ON 15 MARCH 2015, THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 172, REGISTRATION NUMBER N8452X FROM PEACH STATE AIRPORT (GA2) FOR THE PURPOSE OF A LOCAL VFR FLIGHT. WITH ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED GA2 AT APPROXIMATELY 1020EDT FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT IN THE VICINTY  OF NEWNAN, GA. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE GA2 PATTERN AT APPROXIMATELY 1130EDT AND ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN SOUTH OF THE FIELD FOR A RIGHT TRAFFIC ENTRY TO RUNWAY 13. THE PATTERN ENTRY AND EXECUTION WERE UNREMARKABLE, THE FINAL APPROACH WAS ON SPEED AND NORMAL GLIDE PATH.

CONSIDERING THIS AIRPORT IS A GRASS SURFACE RUNWAY, THE PILOT EXECUTED A SOFT FIELD LANDING AT APPROXIMATELY 1134EDT. THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN WAS ON THE MAIN WHEELS WITH A NOSE UP ATTITUDE, AS THE AIRCRAFT DECELERATED THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE WHEEL. IMMEDIATELY AFTER NOSE WHEEL TOUCHDOWN A SIGNIFICANT NOSE SHIMMY WAS EXPERIENCED. THE PILOT ATTRIBUTED THIS TO A FAILED SHIMMY DAMPENER AND APPLIED ADDITIONAL BACK PRESSURE TO THE CONTROL WHEEL TO MINIMIZE THE WEIGHT ON THE NOSE WHEEL. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DECELERATING THE PILOT AGAIN LOWERED THE NOSE AND A MORE SUBSTANTIAL VIBRATION  ENSUED. AT THIS POINT, THE PILOT REALIZED A MORE SIGNIFICANT FAILURE HAD OCCURRED AND RAISED THE NOSE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. BUT, AT THIS POINT THE GROUNDSPEED HAD DEPLETED TO THE POINT THAT MAINTAINING THAT ATTITUDE  WAS IMPOSSIBLE AND AS THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE FOR THE FINAL TIME, A COMPLETE NOSE WHEEL FAILURE OCCURED.  THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE NOSE COWLING AND ON THE CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT THEN COMPLETED AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN CHECK ( MIXTURE TO CUTOFF, IGNITION OFF, MASTER SWITCH OFF AND FUEL SHUTOFF  OFF)  THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER THEN DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT THRU OUR RESPECTIVE DOORS. AT THIS POINT BOTH MOVED AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO A FUEL LEAK AND AWAITED ASSISTANCE.  THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE FIELD WERE ALSO UNREMARKABLE, WITH A HIGH SCATTERED LAYER, UNRESTRICTED VISIBILITY AND CALM WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT AND COLLASPED GEAR WAS THEN MOVED TO A NEAR BY CANDLER FLYING CLUB HANGER.

## 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 ERA15LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA160), Mar 15, 2015: Cessna 172C (N8452X), Williamson, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation of the nosewheel upon landing due to a missing bolt that attached the upper torque assembly to the nosewheel steering arm assembly. When and how the bolt separated could not be…

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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