# Accident 20210806006989A: Cessna 172N, Miami, FL, August 6, 2021 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 6, 2021, 11:15 local time - Place: Miami, FL - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation - Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141) - Operator: YDFS - Location: 25.6435° N, 80.4279° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.6435&lon=-80.4279&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5412D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5412D-2022-06-04) (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: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student - Pilot flight hours: 206 total, 82 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA320](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA320) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210806006989A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON AUGUST 6, 2021 @ 10:00, A TRAINING FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PROVIDE DUAL INSTRUCTION FOR A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE. THE STUDENT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HAD NO PRIOR FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. THIS WAS LESSON 1, INITIAL INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT. THE CFI, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, PROVIDED THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. ROUTINE PROCEDURES WERE PERFORMED INCLUDING PREFLIGHT, WEIGHT AND BALANCE AS WELL AS GATHERING WEATHER INFORMATION. THE WINDS WERE FORECASTED VARIABLE @ 4KTS WITH NO CROSSWIND. RUNWAY 9R WAS THE ACTIVE RUNWAY IN USE AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS STARTED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE @ RUNWAY 9R. AFTER A NORMAL TAKE OFF RUN UP, THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED HAVING PRIMARY CONTROL OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WITH THE STUDENT FOLLOWING ALONG ON THE CONTROLS PER HER DIRECTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSTRUCTED TO LINE UP AND WAIT DUE TO A CESSNA CARAVAN THAT HAD TAKEN OFF JUST PRIOR. AFTER A BRIEF WAIT THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 9R. THE CFI REPORTED AFTER APPLYING FULL POWER AND REACHING 60 KNOTS THE AIRCRAFT ROSE TO AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 20 TO 30 FEET AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED EXPERIENCING A STRONG ROLLING FORCE TO THE LEFT. THE CFI VERIFIED WITH THE STUDENT THAT NO INPUTS WERE BEING MADE BY THE STUDENT. THE STUDENT CONFIRMED THAT NO CONTROLS WERE BEING OPERATED. THIS FACT WAS CORROBORATED IN INDEPENDENT INTERVIEWS WITH BOTH PARTIES. IN ORDER TO COUNTER THE LEFT ROLL A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF RIGHT AILERON AND RIGHT RUDDER WAS USED. AT THIS POINT THE CFI DETERMINED THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO FLY SAFELY AND DECIDED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT BACK ON THE RUNWAY. THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED TO IDLE AND THE DECENT BACK TO THE RUNWAY SURFACE RESULTED IN AN INITIAL HARD LANDING AT FIRST CONTACT FOLLOWED BY 2 MORE BOUNCES ON THE RUNWAY. THE CFI WAS ABLE TO TAXI OFF THE RUNWAY AT E5 AND GET CLEAR OF THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. THE TOWER CONTACTED THE AIRCRAFT TO SEE IF ASSISTANCE WAS REQUIRED. THE RESPONSE WAS AFFIRMATIVE AND SUBSEQUENTLY MIAMI DADE RAMP PERSONNEL AS WELL AS ADF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WERE DISPATCHED TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND TOW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE HANGAR. ON AUGUST 12, 2021 THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED BY INSPECTORS FROM FSDO 19 POST-ACCIDENT AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING ITEMS OF SIGNIFICANCE THAT WERE ALL DOCUMENTED WITH PICTURES: NOSE LANDING GEAR TIRE WAS FLAT WITH A TEAR IN THE SIDEWALL, AS VIEWED WITH THE UPPER ENGINE COWLING REMOVED; NOSE LANDING GEAR BENT FORWARD AT AN APPROXIMATE 30 DEGREE ANGLE, LOWER FIREWALL IMMEDIATELY AFT OF GEAR WAS DEFORMED AND CREASED, COCKPIT AND CABIN INSPECTION FOUND RUDDER PEDAL ASSEMBLIES RANGE OF MOTION RESTRICTED DUE TO FIREWALL IMPINGEMENT BUT DID APPEAR TO STILL BE INTACT, AILERON MECHANISM APPEARED TO BE INTACT AS WELL, BUT WAS LATER FOUND TO ALSO HAVE THE DAMAGED FIREWALL INTERFERING WITH CABLE OPERATION. ELEVATOR SYSTEM WAS FOUND TO HAVE CONTINUITY OF CONTROLS AS WELL. NONE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS WERE ABLE TO BE RIG OR CABLE TENSION CHECKED DUE TO THE CONDITION OF THE AIRCRAFT. ## 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 ERA21LA320](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA320), Aug 6, 2021: Cessna 172 (N5412D), Miami, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the flight instructor to maintain the proper rate of descent during the aborted takeoff. ## Other reports on N5412D (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20031220035021I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031220035021I), Dec 20, 2003: Cessna 172N (N5412D), Homestead, FL, Minor damage. (-23) On Saturday, 20 dec 2003, a Cessna caravan, N9639F and a Cessna 172, N5412D experienced a midair collision on final approach to runway 36 at Homestead… - [Incident 19791121045049I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19791121045049I), Nov 21, 1979: Cessna 172N (N5412D), Greensboro, NC, Minor damage. Student on 1st solo touch and go applied power. Aircraft swerved left, came to rest in grass. Prop nicked. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.