# Incident 20210206003499I: Cessna 172N, Columbus, OH, February 6, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 6, 2021, 14:25 local time
- Place: Columbus, OH
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.9612° N, 82.9988° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Columbus, OH, within about 8 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9612&lon=-82.9988&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3126E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3126E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210206003499I

## Narrative

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

N3126E, A CESSNA 172N, WAS ON A TRAINING FLIGHT ON 02/06/2021, WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A SPLIT FLAP CONDITION.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT WHO AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT WAS PRACTICING MANEUVERS.  N3126E BEGAN DESCENDING FROM 5,000FT TO 4,000FT COMPLETING SEVERAL ROTATIONS IN A 40-45* BANK THE AIRSPEED DURING THE SPIRALING DESCENT NEVER EXCEEDED 60 KIAS.  AT 4,000FT HE ROLLED WINGS LEVEL AND CONTINUED DESCENDING, ALLOWING THE AIRSPEED TO ACCELERATE, NEVER EXCEEDING 70 KIAS.  HIS MAXIMUM RATE OF DESCENT DURING THE ENTIRE MANEUVER WAS 1,333 FPM.  THE PILOT BEGAN RETRACTING FLAPS TO 10* AT 3,200FT TO LEAD HIS LEVEL-OFF ALTITUDE AND THEN RETRACTED FLAPS REMAINING AT 3,000FT.  ONCE TRIMMED AND STABILIZED IN LEVEL FLIGHT THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FLAP PANEL ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD PARTIALLY (ALTHOUGH MOSTLY) RETRACTED, AND THE FLAP PANEL ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL MOSTLY DEPLOYED AND DAMAGED.  HE THEN PROCEEDED DIRECT TO KOSU, CALLED THE TOWER, AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY.  N3126E LANDED 27L WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH CONTROLLABILITY ON THE RETURN FLIGHT HE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT.

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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