# NTSB ATL04LA040: Cessna 172, N61924, Hickory, NC, November 22, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 22, 2003, 18:03 local (23:03 UTC) - Place: Hickory, NC - Coordinates: 35.741111, -81.389442 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7411&lon=-81.3894&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Charlotte FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58378 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04LA040 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58378/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA040 ## Probable cause The CFI inadequate supervision, and failure to maintain directional control during the attempted touch-and-go landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - supervision - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - directional control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - roll/run - terrain condition - ground - Nose over, takeoff - roll/run ## Analysis Upon arriving at the destination airport, the flight was cleared for a touch-and-go landing. During the go phase of the first landing, the student pilot relinquished the flight controls without coordinating the exchange with the certified flight instructor. The airplane veered to the right, but efforts by the CFI to correct the right drift were unsuccessful. The airplane continued off the runway surface and nosed over into the grass. The post-accident examination of the airplane wreckage revealed that both wings had leading edge and spar damage. The on-scene examination of the normal wheel brake system, nose wheel assembly, rudder controls and related system failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. The CFI did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On November 22, 2003, at 1803 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N61924, registered to and operated by a certified flight instructor (CFI), veered off the runway during an attempted landing at Hickory Regional Airport, Hickory, North Carolina. The instructional flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan on file. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The CFI, the student pilot, and the two other occupants were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Mount Airy Surry County Airport, Mount, Airy, North Carolina, on November 22, 2003 at 1700. The purpose of the flight night cross country flight was to fulfill the private pilot requirements in accordance with CFR 14 Part 61.109. The en route portion of the flight to the destination airport was uneventful. Upon arriving at the destination airport, the flight was cleared for a touch and go landing on runway 24. Runway 24 at Hickory Regional Airport is 6400 long and 150 feet wide. The airplane touched down within the first third of the runway. During the touch and go procedure, the airplane touched down, rolled about 1400 feet. The airplane started to veer to the right of center line and the CFI told the student pilot " let's get out of here". The CFI applied the throttle for the "go" phase of the touch and go procedure. According to the student pilot he relinquished control of the airplane, but did not inform the CFI, because "he saw and felt the CFI on the controls". According to the he CFI, he applied left rudder to maintain directional control, but the left rudder was unresponsive. Efforts by the CFI to control the airplane's movement were unsuccessful. The airplane continued off the runway surface into the grass, crossed a taxiway and nosed over. In a written statement by the student pilot, he stated that he applied both brakes as the aircraft veered off the right side of the runway. The CFI reported no mechanical problems with the airplane. The post-accident examination of the wreckage at the accident site revealed that the airplane nosed over and came to rest on a 120 degree magnetic heading, and north of taxiway alpha. The nose wheel was located approximately 45 feet from the main wreckage. Examination of the wreckage revealed both wings had leading edge and spar damage. The on-scene examination of the normal brake system, nose wheel assembly, rudder controls and all related systems, failed to disclose a mechanical malfunctions or component failure. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Medical Records Division the CFI was issued a third class medical with no restrictions on September 25, 2004. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61924](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61924-2004-11-03), registration cancelled 2004-11-03, S/N 17264889, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 - 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: 17264889 - Airframe hours: 2691 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 14, 2003, 49.6 hours before - Departed: Hickory, NC - Airport: HKY, Hickory Regional, runway 24, 6,400 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 65; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; seat: right; flight hours: 4,202 total - Student pilot; age 36; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 46 total, 46 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: HKY ## 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 20031122036129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031122036129A), Nov 22, 2003: Cessna 172M, Hickory, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft departed mwk for a night cross country to hky for an intended return to mwk. The flight was conducted with a student pilot and a CFI with 2… 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.