CEN11CA004

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172N · Wabash, IN · October 1, 2010

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
October 1, 2010, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
Place
Wabash, IN
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N2140ECessna 172N
Defining event
Landing: Landing area overshoot
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 16, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20101001046039A
Case key
77493

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

On this page

Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during the landing and certificated flight instructor's failure to execute a go-around.

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: airspeedAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 172N: 19 casesAll aircraft: 1,681 casesProbable cause
Info processing/decision: decision making/judgmentPersonnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilotCessna 172N: 41 casesAll aircraft: 3,098 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

The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student had been practicing touch-and-go landings and were planning a full-stop landing. The airplane touched down on the grass airstrip slightly faster than normal and approximately 100 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. The CFI took authority of the airplane's controls and applied brakes. As the airplane approached the end of the runway, the CFI applied left rudder to avoid a ditch in front of the airplane. Subsequently, the right main landing gear went into the ditch and the airplane flipped over. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent. The CFI reported that there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. He further stated that they should have landed on the adjacent asphalt runway or performed a go-around after overshooting the final approach leg during the landing.

Factual narrative

The flight instructor and student had been practicing touch and go landings. During the attempted full stop landing to runway 36 (1,938 feet long by 50 feet wide, turf), the airplane touched down with "slight extra speed" approximately 100 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. The flight instructor then took the airplane controls and applied brakes; however, there was "no friction on the mowed dry grass." As the airplane approached the end of the runway, the instructor applied left rudder to avoid a ditch in front of the airplane. Subsequently, the right main landing gear went into the ditch and the airplane flipped over. Examination of the airplane revealed the vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent. No mechanical anomalies were reported with the airplane prior to the accident. The instructor reported they should have landed on the adjacent asphalt runway or performed a go-around after "over-shooting final" during the landing.

Aircraft

Registration
N2140E
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17271168
Airframe hours
12,701
Engine
Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · January 12, 2010
Departed
IWH · Wabash, IN
Destination
IWH · Wabash, IN
Airport
IWH · Wabash Municipal Airport, runway 36, 1,938 × 50 ft, grass/turf

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
74
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
September 25, 2009
Seat
Right
Flight hours
9,240 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 8,925 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot
Age
60
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
7 total · 7 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
350° at 12 knots
Visibility
30 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
64 °F, dew point 55 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 511 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.

Other investigations on N2140E · 1

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