- Date
- March 21, 2014, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Marine City, MI
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N739RXCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 2, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Eastern Michigan FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140321004659A
- Case key
- 89013
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 improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Findings · 3
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 a full-stop crosswind landing he flared too high and the airplane bounced during touchdown. After the second bounce the pilot added power for a go-around maneuver as the airplane's left main gear struck the snow bank on the edge of the runway. The airplane immediately pitched nose down, exited the left side of the runway, and impacted terrain, coming to rest inverted. The impact resulted in substantial damage to both wings, the left strut, and the vertical fin and rudder. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also reported that the accident would not have happened if he had used the proper crosswind correction, had used the proper flare and landing technique, or if he had earlier decided to go-around.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a full-stop crosswind landing he flared too high and the airplane bounced during touchdown. After the second bounce the pilot added power for a go-around maneuver as the airplane's left main gear struck the snow bank on the edge of the runway. The airplane immediately pitched nose down, exited the left side of the runway, and impacted terrain, coming to rest inverted. The impact resulted in substantial damage to both wings, the left strut, and the vertical fin and rudder. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also reported that the accident would not have happened if he had used the proper crosswind correction, had used the proper flare and landing technique, or if he had earlier decided to go-around.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N739RX
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270755
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 11,830
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 3, 2013
- Departed
- 76G · Marine City, MI
- Destination
- 76G · Marine City, MI
- Airport
- 76G · Marine City, runway 04, 3,100 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 6, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 88 total · 86 in this make and model · 32 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KPHN, 12 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.