# Accident 20230413002729A: Textron Aviation Inc 172S, West Mifflin, PA, April 13, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 13, 2023, 15:45 local time
- Place: West Mifflin, PA
- Airport: Allegheny County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: BBYS
- Location: 40.3543° N, 79.9286° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3543&lon=-79.9286&mi=10
- Aircraft: N544TH (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: TEXTRON AVIATION INC 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 250 total, 70 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA213) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230413002729A

## Narrative

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

DURING THE FINAL APPROACH AND LANDING OF THE FLIGHT LESSON, THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A STEEPER THAN NORMAL APPROACH AT A SLIGHTLY SLOWER RATE OF SPEED.  THE CFI ALLOWED THE STUDENT PILOT TO CONTINUE TO THE POINT OF SHOUTING "PULL BACK, PULL BACK" CAUSING THE STUDENT TO ABRUBTLY PULL BACK ON THE CONTROLS CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BEGIN TO CLIMB.  DUE TO THE SLOWER THAN NORMAL APPROACH SPEED, THE AIRCRAFT QUICKLY BEGAN TO STALL.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN ABRUPTLY FELL TO THE RUNWAY FROM APPROXIMATELY 8-10 FEET, LANDING NOSE HIGH (STRIKING THE TAILSKID CAUSING DAMAGE). THE CFI DID NOT AT ANY POINT DURING THIS EVENT INSTRUCT THE STUDENT TO GO-AROUND, TAKE OVER, OR PROVIDE CONTROL INPUTS TO ASSIST IN LESSENING THE IMPACT.  THE CFI OR STUDENT PILOT DID NOT COMPLETE A POST FLIGHT WALK AROUND, AND THE DAMAGE WAS ONLY CAUGHT ON THE NEXT LESSON SCHEDULED TO BE DISPATCHED. DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS OF BOTH AIRMEN, THE CFI DID NOT PROVIDE ANY CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM OF THE EVENT OR ANY LESSONS LEARNED ON HIS BEHALF. IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CFI BE RE-EXAMINED ON LANDINGS, GO AROUNDS, AND CFI RESPONSIBILITIES AND TEACHING TECHNIQUES.  THE STUDENT PILOT PROVIDED AN EXCELLENT SYNOPSIS AND ANALYSIS OF THE EVENT AND WILL BE RECEIVING EXTRA TRAINING FROM THE AIR AGENCY.

## 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 ERA23LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA213), Apr 13, 2023: Textron 172 (N544TH), West Mifflin, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s improper landing flare, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing.

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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