# NTSB ATL05CA153: Cessna 172S, N21670, Savannah, GA, August 24, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 24, 2005, 13:20 local (17:20 UTC) - Place: Savannah, GA - Coordinates: 32.123054, -81.20111 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1231&lon=-81.2011&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: ATLANTA FSDO-11 - NTSB case key (mKey): 62325 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL05CA153 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62325/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05CA153 ## Probable cause The instructor's inadequate supervision and failure to maintain directional control, resulting in an on ground collision with terrain. ## 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 - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The flight departed runway 36 for a local flight to remain in the traffic pattern for a series of touch and goes. After making the first touch and go, the flight remained in the traffic pattern and established a normal approach to land. As the student pilot flared to land, the airplane began to drift and landed to the right of the runway centerline. An attempt to position the airplane with the centerline was made, but the airplane continued past the centerline to the left. The certified flight instructor took control of the airplane as it veered off the runway and collided with a ditch. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the nose and right main landing gear were bent aft and the engine firewall buckled. Post-accident examination of the flight control surfaces revealed no mechanical failures. The flight instructor did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On August 24, 2005 at 1320 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N21670, registered to Marv-A-Les Charters and operated by Savannah Aviation, veered off the runway and collided with a ditch during landing rollout at Savannah International Airport, Savannah, Georgia. The instructional flight was operated under provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan was not filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the certified flight instructor and the student pilot were not injured. The flight originated from Savannah International Airport in Savannah, Georgia on August 24, 2005 at 1300. The flight departed runway 36 for a local flight to remain in the traffic pattern for a series of touch and goes. After making the first touch and go, the flight remained in the traffic pattern and established a normal approach to land. As the student pilot flared to land, the airplane began to drift and landed to the right of the runway centerline. An attempt to position the airplane with the centerline was made, but the airplane continued past the centerline to the left. The certified flight instructor took control of the airplane as it veered off the runway and collided with a ditch. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the nose and right main landing gear were bent aft and the engine firewall buckled. The airplane exhibited damage to the elevator, right wing tip, and left leading edge. Post-accident examination of the flight control surfaces revealed no mechanical failures. The flight instructor did not reported any mechanical problems with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N21670](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N21670), registered now, S/N 172S9709, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S9709 - Airframe hours: 526 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Savannah Aviation - Registered owner: Marv-A-Les Charters LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 1, 2005, 32 hours before - Departed: SAV, SAVANNAH, GA - Destination: SAVANNAH, GA - Airport: SAV, Savannah International, runway 36, 7,002 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 23; injuries: none; student; seat: left; flight hours: 18 total, 18 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days - Flight instructor; age 28; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 562 total, 411 in this make and model, 423 as pilot in command, 109 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg ## 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 20050824020859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050824020859A), Aug 24, 2005: Cessna 172S, Savannah, GA, Substantial damage. (-23) During an instructional flight, the student pilot (sp) was conducting a landing. The instructor pilot (ip) said everything was normal on the approach. As… ## Other investigations on N21670 (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. - [NTSB ERA14CA452](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA452), Sep 14, 2014: Cessna 172S (N21670), Naples, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to land due to the deteriorating weather conditions. - [NTSB ERA14CA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA109), Jan 27, 2014: Cessna 172S (N21670), Immokalee, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard 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.