# NTSB ATL06CA123: Cessna 172P, N51887, Chester, SC, August 19, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 19, 2006, 18:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: Chester, SC - Coordinates: 34.786945, -81.190551 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7869&lon=-81.1906&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 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Columbia FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 64356 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL06CA123 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64356/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL06CA123 ## Probable cause The CFI's failure to initiate a go-around when he noticed the flight was high and fast during the approach resulting in the flight landing long, overrunning the runway, and colliding with trees. Factors in the accident were a tail wind and a wet runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - altitude - high, pilot in command(cfi) - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command(cfi) - terrain condition - wet (contributing factor) - go-around - not performed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command(cfi) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that while providing instruction to his student he initiated a simulated engine failure. The student selected an airport just below them to do a forced landing. The student turned early for the final as they approached runway 5 and the CFI took control of the airplane and put it into a slip to lose the excess altitude. A witness saw the airplane touchdown at high speed with only a quarter of the runway remaining and observed the airplane engulfed with a heavy mist of water spray as it left the pavement into the grassy end of the runway. The witness then observed the airport weather station to show winds from 240 degrees at 8 knots. The pilot had stated that the airplane was operating normally before the accident. ## Factual narrative On August 19, 2006, at 1845 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N51887, registered to Lancaster Aviation, LLC, and operated by Rock Hill Aviation, LLC, as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, collided with trees off the end of runway 5 at Chester Municipal Airport in Chester, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from York County Bryant Airport in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on August 19, 2006, at 1730. The CFI stated that while providing instruction to the student near the Chester Municipal Airport, "at approximately 3500 feet we began a simulated engine failure emergency." The student selected the Chester Airport just below them to do a forced landing. They circled runway 5, and announced their intentions on the Unicom frequency. The CFI stated that the "student turned a bit early for final and I took the controls back from him to place the aircraft into a slip and lose the excess altitude." The CFI stated that the runway at Chester was 5,000 feet long, and they landed approximately halfway down the runway in a normal landing attitude using full flaps. According to the CFI, not long before they landed, there was a rain shower, which soaked the field and the runway. He stated that after touchdown, he applied brakes and found that they were useless due to a combination of wet brakes and hydroplaning. He stated that the runway also had grass growing through it, which he believed contributed to their slide. By that time, they had rolled down the runway too far to attempt a go-around. So, they committed to running off the end of the runway. The airplane came to a stop a few hundred feet off the end of runway 5 into some trees damaging both wings and the nose gear. Both the CFI and student egressed without injury. When asked why the airplane ran off the end of the runway, the CFI stated, "Do not land long on a wet runway." According to an airport employee, who is a multi-engine instrument rated pilot, he observed a single-engine Cessna approaching on a northbound heading of approximately 350-degrees. The airplane made a constant steep descending left turn to the approach end of runway 05. "As the airplane crossed the threshold, it appeared to be high and continued to descend toward the runway with excessive airspeed." He stated the airplane touchdown at high speed with only a quarter of the runway remaining and was engulfed with a heavy mist of water spray at it left the pavement into the grassy end of the runway. He went to the airport terminal office and noticed the winds on the weather station were from 240 degrees at 8 knots. He then went to the accident site and observed that the pilot and passenger had already exited the airplane with no injuries. According to an FAA Inspector, the airplane sustained damage to the left wing spar, the nose gear, and propeller. The pilot had stated to the FAA Inspector that the airplane was operating normally before the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N51887](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N51887-2014-08-22), registration cancelled 2014-08-22, S/N 17274374, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17274374 - Airframe hours: 3650 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Rock Hill Aviation, LLC - Registered owner: Lancaster Aviation, LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 1, 2006, 49 hours before - Departed: UZA, Rock Hill, SC - Destination: 9A6, Chester, SC - Airport: 9A6, Chester Municipal Airport, runway 05, 4,998 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 35; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2006; seat: right; flight hours: 522 total, 350 in this make and model, 475 as pilot in command, 220 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: UZA, 13 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 20060819018429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060819018429A), Aug 19, 2006: Cessna 172P, Chester, SC, Substantial damage. (-23) While giving flight instruction the pilot landed long. Aircraft ran off end of runway and hit trees. Aircraft received substantial damage with no… 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.