- Date
- August 21, 2013, 19:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Indianapolis, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N45EFCessna 172S
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20130821015319A
- Case key
- 87831
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 inadequate monitoring on the airplane's airspeed during the go-around, resulting in a stall.
Findings · 1
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
During the landing flare, about 2-4 feet above the runway, the right wing dropped. The pilot advanced the throttle full forward and attempted a go-around. During the go-around the airspeed decreased below 40 knots, the airplane stalled, and landed hard. The right main landing gear collapsed which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by closely monitoring and maintaining an airspeed above the stall speed.
Factual narrative
During the landing flare, about 2-4 feet above the runway, the right wing dropped. The pilot advanced the throttle full forward and attempted a go-around. During the go-around the airspeed decreased below 40 knots, the airplane stalled, and landed hard. The right main landing gear collapsed which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by closely monitoring and maintaining an airspeed above the stall speed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45EF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8982
- Airframe hours
- 5,550
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 13, 2013
- Departed
- KTYQ · Indianapolis, IN
- Destination
- KTYQ · Indianapolis, IN
- Airport
- KTYQ · Indianapolis Executive, runway 18, 5,500 × 100 ft, concrete
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 53 total · 42 in this make and model · 10 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KTYQ
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 22, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 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.