# NTSB ANC20CA034: Cessna 172, N738DB, Kahului, HI, March 17, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 17, 2020, 09:14 local (19:14 UTC) - Place: Kahului, HI - Coordinates: 20.889722, -156.435836 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=20.8897&lon=-156.4358&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 29, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 101090 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC20CA034 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101090/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101090 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA034 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to avoid wake turbulence while landing behind a heavy jet airplane, which resulted in a loss of roll control and subsequent hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 150 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Turbulence: wake turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 45 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 46 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 81 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 44 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The solo student pilot reported that, while in the airport traffic pattern, the air traffic tower controller instructed her to follow a heavy jet airplane. She saw the heavy jet airplane and confirmed it with the tower controller who then cleared the pilot to land behind the heavy jet and provided a caution for wake turbulence. As she maintained a final approach to land "past the numbers" and prepared for the landing flare, the wings suddenly rolled right, and the nose dropped. She attempted to correct, but the airplane landed hard, skidded off the runway, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, lift struts, and empennage. ## Factual narrative The solo student pilot reported that, while in the airport traffic pattern, she was instructed by air traffic control to follow a heavy jet airplane. She located the heavy jet airplane and confirmed with tower she was cleared to land number two, with a caution for wake turbulence. As she maintained a final approach to land "past the numbers" and prepared for the landing flare, the wings suddenly rolled right, and the nose dropped. She attempted to correct, but the airplane landed hard, skidded off the runway, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, lift struts, and empennage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N738DB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N738DB-2023-03-04), registration cancelled 2023-03-04, S/N 17269886, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (N) - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17269886 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 6828.5 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Fly Maui LLC - Registered owner: Fly Maui LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 22, 2020 - Departed: HNM, Hana, HI - Destination: HNM, Hana, HI - Airport: OGG, Kahului, runway 2, 6,998 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 78 total, 73 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: PHOG, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200317005219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200317005219A), Mar 17, 2020: Cessna 172N, Kahului, HI, Substantial damage. 03/17/20 0945 HST the hnl FSDO was notified by roc that there was a Cessna type aircraft involved in an accident at Kahului Airport while conducting a solo… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101090. 765 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 478 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483294&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot ROC (item 2, .PDF, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483295&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20ROC-Master.PDF - Accident Picture (item 3, .PDF, 168 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483296&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Picture-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.