CEN10CA033

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172N · Marysville, OH · October 26, 2009

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
October 26, 2009, 16:10 local (21:10 UTC)
Place
Marysville, OH
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N4753DCessna 172N
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 3, 2010
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA Columbus FSDO
FAA report
20091026050719A
Case key
74983

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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

While on a solo flight, the student pilot was attempting to land on runway 09 when the airplane exited the left side of the runway onto a grassy median. The airplane sustained damage to the landing gear and firewall during the accident. In a statement to law enforcement officers, the pilot reported that he was landing in a crosswind which pushed the airplane to the left. He stated that he was unable to control the drift of the airplane and the left wheel entered the grass and pulled the airplane into the grass. He remarked that the damage to the airplane happened when it struck a bump in the grass near the taxiway at about 20 knots. The recorded winds at a nearby airport were 180 degrees at 8 knots about 30 minutes prior to the accident.

Factual narrative

While on a solo flight, the student pilot was attempting to land on runway 09 when the airplane exited the left side of the runway and struck a grassy median. The airplane sustained damage to the landing gear and firewall during the accident. In a statement to law enforcement officers the pilot reported that he was landing in a crosswind which pushed the airplane to the left. He stated that he was unable to control the drift of the airplane and the left wheel entered the grass and pulled the airplane into the grass. He remarked that the damage to the airplane happened when it struck a bump in the grass near the taxiway at about 20 knots. The recorded winds at a nearby airport were 180 degrees at 8 knots about 30 minutes prior to the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N4753D
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17272350
Engine
Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Departed
OSU · Columbus, OH
Destination
OSU · Columbus, OH
Airport
MRT · Union County Airport, runway 09, 4,218 × 75 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Student pilot
Age
31
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3
Seat
Left
Flight hours
26 total · 26 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
180° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
63 °F, dew point 37 °F
Altimeter
30.05 inHg
Observed at
OSU, 15 nm away

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 610 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

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