- Date
- December 28, 2008, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Girdwood, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N453SPCessna 172S
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 7, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA AL-ANC FSDO 03
- FAA report
- 20081228857459A
- Case key
- 73164
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flight instructor's lack of action to correct a high and fast landing approach which resulted in a long landing, and subsequent collision with a snow berm at the end of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's improper approach.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot/student, seated in the left seat, and the certified flight instructor, seated in the right seat, departed on a visual flight rules flight for mountain flying instruction and an Aero Club airplane checkout. The instructor decided to have the pilot land at an airport that had a 2,088 foot long runway. The first approach to the airport was high and fast, and the landing approach was aborted. On the second approach, the airplane was again high and fast, and touched down about 600 to 800 feet beyond the runway threshold. The runway surface was compacted snow and ice, and the braking action was poor. The airplane collided with a snow berm at the end of the runway, and received substantial damage to the landing gear and fuselage. The flight instructor did not take control of the airplane at any time before or during the accident sequence.
Factual narrative
The private certificated pilot/student, seated in the left seat, and the certified flight instructor, seated in the right seat, departed on a VFR instructional flight for the purpose of mountain flying instruction, and an Aero Club airplane checkout. The instructor decided to have the pilot land at an airport that had a 2,088 foot long runway. The first approach to the airport was high and fast, and the landing approach was aborted. On the second approach, the airplane was again high and fast (75 knots), and touched down about 600 to 800 feet beyond the runway threshold. The runway surface was compacted snow and ice, and the braking action was poor. The airplane collided with a snow berm at the end of the runway, and received structural damage to the landing gear and fuselage. The flight instructor did not take control of the airplane at any time before or during the accident sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N453SP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8297
- Airframe hours
- 4,400
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- U.S. Air Force
- Registered owner
- U.S. Air Force
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 27, 2008 · 46 hours before
- Departed
- PAED · Elmendorf AFB, AK
- Destination
- PAED · Elmendorf AFB, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- AQY · Girdwood, runway 19, 2,008 × 73 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 775 total · 660 in this make and model · 716 as pilot in command · 86 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 12, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 195 total · 175 in this make and model · 133 as pilot in command · 83 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.