- Date
- August 28, 2011, 21:30 local (Aug 29, 2011, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Plymouth, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N172LDCessna 172M
- Defining event
- Landing: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Eastern Michigan FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110828021389A
- Case key
- 81639
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 pilot's failure to perform a go-around when the airplane was not in a position to make a safe landing and his excessive use of bank control during the landing attempt, which resulted in the wing striking the ground.
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.
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 pilot reported that, during his landing approach, while about 15 feet above the ground, a gust of wind caused the airplane's nose to rise and turn to the left. He stated that he corrected and returned the airplane to a level attitude, but it was then pointed about 20 degrees off of the runway heading. The pilot attempted to return to the runway heading, but the wingtip struck the ground. The airplane then entered a ditch adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. A weather report from a station located about 8 miles away from the accident airport recorded the wind speed as 6 knots; no wind gusts were recorded. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during his landing approach, about 15 feet above the ground, a gust of wind caused the airplane's nose to rise and turn to the left. He stated that he corrected and returned the airplane to a level attitude, but the it was then pointed about 20 degrees off of the runway heading. The pilot attempted to return to the runway heading, but the wingtip struck the ground. The airplane then entered a ditch adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. A weather report from a station located about 8 miles away from the accident airport recorded the wind speed as 6 knots. No wind gusts were recorded. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N172LD
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17264412
- Airframe hours
- 1,900
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2010 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- TVC · Traverse City, MI
- Destination
- 1D2 · Plymouth, MI
- Airport
- 1D2 · Canton-Plymouth-Mettetal Arpt, runway 36, 2,303 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 28, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 316 total · 316 in this make and model · 239 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- YIP, 8 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 30, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB 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.