# NTSB ATL93LA129: Cessna 172, N65735, Summerdale, AL, July 17, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 16, 1993, 19:30 local (Jul 17, 1993, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Summerdale, AL - Coordinates: 30.480873, -87.699752 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4809&lon=-87.6998&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3240 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL93LA129 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3240/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL93LA129 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - tree(s) ## Analysis THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1700 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE WET SOD RUNWAY. DURING THE ROLL OUT THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE COULD NOT SAFELY STOP THE AIRPLANE AND A COLLISION WITH A DITCH WAS UNAVOIDABLE. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE DITCH THE PILOT PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE CLEARED THE DITCH BUT COLLIDED WITH PECAN TREES. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT. ACCORDING TO THE AIRCAFT FLIGHT MANUAL APPROXIMATELY 615 FEET OF RUNWAY SURFACE IS NEEDED FOR THE LANDING ROLL ON A DRY SOD SURFACE. FINALLY THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT WAS NOT APPROVED FOR FLIGHT OPERATIONS BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY AVIATION. ## Factual narrative On July 16, 1993, at 1930 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N65735, collided with trees after the pilot landed long on a private grass airstrip near Summerdale, Alabama. The personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight departed Auburn, Alabama, at 1735 hours. The non-instrument rated pilot and his instrument rated passenger arrived at the planned destination and observed that the wind was calm. They established a visual approach procedure for the north sod runway, lowered the flaps 30 degrees, and touched down at the mid-field point. According to the pilot, during the landing roll, he observed a ditch off the departure end of the runway. To avoid colliding with the ditch, the pilot pulled back on the yoke, cleared the ditch, and collided with trees 300 feet beyond the departure end of the north runway. According to the Cessna 172 flight manual, approximately 625 feet of runway is needed for a normal landing roll on a dirt or sod surface; no wet surface landing roll information was available. Additionally, the pilot did not report experiencing a mechanical malfunction or component failure. Finally, according to the Executive Director of Auburn University Aviation, the accident airport was not an approved landing site. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N65735](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N65735), registered now, S/N 17275842 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17275842 - Airframe hours: 5654 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Auburn University - Registered owner: Christiansen Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, July 15, 1993, 14 hours before - Departed: AUO, AUBURN, AL - Destination: NONE - Airport: NONE, Chisenhall Ag Service, runway 36, 2,500 × 80 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 207 total, 102 in this make and model, 173 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 8 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 79 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PNS, 30 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 19930716024329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930716024329A), Jul 16, 1993: Cessna 172P, Summerdale, AL, Substantial damage. Landed midfield on short wet sod strip. Unable stop. Ran off end. Jumped ditch and struck trees. 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.