# NTSB BFO90LA022: Cessna 172N, N75946, Gaithersburg, MD, January 27, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 27, 1990, 15:55 local (20:55 UTC)
- Place: Gaithersburg, MD
- Coordinates: 39.169281, -77.180389 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1693&lon=-77.1804&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report June 28, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11578
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO90LA022
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11578/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO90LA022

## Probable cause

INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI), WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND A SUBSEQUENT STALL.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE:  GUSTY/CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, THE STUDENT PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, AND THE CFI'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AS AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, landing
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor)
  - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, dual student (contributing factor)
  - proper alignment - not maintained, dual student (contributing factor)
  - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - airspeed - not maintained (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing

## Analysis

THE DUAL STUDENT PLT WAS ATTEMPTING HIS FIRST LNDG IN A CESSNA 172. ALL OF HIS PREVIOUS FLTS WERE IN CESSNA 150. THE INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) STATED HE WAS GOING TO EVALUATE THE LNDG & DETERMINE IF THE STUDENT WAS TO COUNTINUE WITH MORE LNDGS. ACCORDING TO THE CFI & STUDENT, WIND GUSTS WERE OCCURRING. THE STUDENT STATED THAT DURING THE APPROACH, THE FLAPS WERE SET AT 30 DEGREES & THE AIRSPEED WAS ABOUT 60 KTS. HE STATED THAT HE 'CRABBED' INTO THE WIND, & WHEN HE STARTED THE LANDING FLARE, THE ACFT DRIFTED LEFT OF THE RWY & THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT & TRIED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION.  HOWEVER, THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY ROLLED ABRUPTLY TO THE LEFT & HIT THE GROUND WITH FIRST THE LEFT WING, THEN THE NOSE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N75946](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N75946-1995-05-12), registration cancelled 1995-05-12, S/N 17268062 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17268062
- Airframe hours: 4446
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Montgomery Aviation Ltd.
- Registered owner: Montgomery Aviation, Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 19, 1990, 6 hours before
- Airport: GAI, Montgomery County, runway 14, 4,196 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 32; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 356 total, 290 in this make and model, 136 as pilot in command, 82 in the last 90 days, 55 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: IAD

## 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 19900127001199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900127001199A), Jan 27, 1990: Cessna 172N, Gaithersburg, MD, Destroyed. Students first landing in type. Drifted on flare. Stall horn on. CFI took over wing dropped hit and 172 cartwheeled

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.

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