# NTSB ATL03LA067: Cessna 172M, N13591, Savannah, GA, March 23, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 23, 2003, 18:53 local (23:53 UTC) - Place: Savannah, GA - Coordinates: 31.991666, -81.246109 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9917&lon=-81.2461&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Atlanta FSDO-11 - NTSB case key (mKey): 56665 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL03LA067 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56665/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA067 ## Probable cause The pilot misjudged the landing distance, landed with excessive airspeed, did not attempt a go-around resulting in the airplane going off the overrun, and colliding with trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - distance - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The pilot stated he made a night landing to runway 30 without runway landing lights. The airplane touched down 2,390 feet from the approach end of the runway, bounced, and touched down three more times before going into the overrun and colliding with several trees. The sod runway is 2,980 feet long. ## Factual narrative On March 23, 2003, about 1853 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172M, N13591, registered to BCN LLC, operated by a private pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with trees on the departure end of the runway during a night landing at Hodges Airpark, Savannah, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and one passenger received serious injuries. The flight originated from Valdosta, Georgia, on March 23, 2003, at 1835. The pilot stated he could not remember his departure time from Valdosta, Georgia. According to Savannah Approach Control the pilot contacted them at 1835 and requested flight following. Upon arrival in the Savannah area, he cancelled flight following when he had his destination airport in sight. He planned his approach to runway 30, which does not have runway lights. The pilot stated that he does not remember anything concerning the accident sequence, but remembered turning on final approach and talking to emergency personnel while being placed in the ambulance after the accident. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems before the accident. Examination of the accident site by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed the airplane touched down 2, 390 feet from the approach end of the runway. The airplane bounced three times, and touched down 2,470, feet, 2,512 feet, and 2,552 feet from the approach end of the runway before going into the overrun and colliding with several trees. The airplane collided with trees 425 from the last touchdown on the sod runway surface. The sod runway is 2,980 feet long. The airplane sustained structural damage to the right wing, fuselage, and empennage. Cessna 172 landing performance data showed that a normal landing roll requires approximately 590 feet of runway surface. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N13591](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N13591-2017-06-07), registration cancelled 2017-06-07, S/N 17262864, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17262864 - Airframe hours: 4443 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Robert F. Jenkins - Registered owner: BCN LLC % Bill Newborn - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2002, 29 hours before - Departed: VLD, Valdosta, GA - Destination: GA39, Savannah, GA - Airport: GA39, Hodges Airpark, runway 30, 2,980 × 150 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 18, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 360 total, 450 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 210° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: SVN, 5 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 20030323004579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030323004579A), Mar 23, 2003: Cessna 172M, Savannah, GA, Substantial damage. (-23) Arrived at Hodges air park aircraft N13591 was on the overrun of the runway, facing back towards the runway it landed on, 180 degrees from landing… 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.