ATL06CA084

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172L · Lexington, TN · May 23, 2006

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 23, 2006, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
Place
Lexington, TN
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N7624GCessna 172L
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 31, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Memphis FSDO-25
FAA report
20060523010939A
Case key
63753

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point during landing.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

OverrunLanding - roll
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

The pilot stated that upon arrival at the destination airport he entered a left downwind for runway 20. He noticed while on short final that the airplane was high over the numbers and he reduced power with full flaps extended. The pilot stated that when he reached the midfield point over the runway, he realized that the landing was to long, and "decided that his chances of getting the airplane stopped on the runway were better than aborting the landing". After the airplane landed he locked up the brakes and slid off the end of the runway, down an embankment, and into trees. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

Factual narrative

On May 23, 2006, at 1830 central daylight time, a Cessna 172L, N7624G, registered to and operated by a private owner, as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, ran off the end of runway 20 during landing roll at the Franklin Wilkins Airport, Lexington, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot was not injured. The flight originated from the Mc Kellar-Sipes Regional Airport, Jackson, Tennessee, on May 23, 2006 at 1800.

The pilot stated upon arrival at the destination airport he entered a left downwind for runway 20. He noticed while on short final that the airplane was high over the numbers and he reduced power with full flaps extended. The pilot stated that when he reached the midfield point over the runway, he realized that the landing was to long, and "decided that his chances of getting the airplane stopped on the runway were better than aborting the landing". After the airplane landed he locked up the brakes and slid off the end of the runway, down an embankment, and into trees. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N7624G
Reported as
Cessna 172L
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17259324
Airframe hours
6,455
Engine
Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Aeroflight flying club Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 1, 2005 · 143 hours before
Departed
MKL · Jackson, TN
Destination
M52 · Lexington, TN
Airport
MKL · Mc Kellar-Sipes Regional, runway 20, 6,006 × 150 ft, asphalt

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

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
72
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
December 1, 2004
Seat
Left
Flight hours
685 total · 525 in this make and model · 27 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
300° at 3 knots
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
70 °F, dew point 66 °F
Altimeter
29.86 inHg
Observed at
KM52

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N7624G · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.