- Date
- February 21, 2015, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kankakee, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N54974Cessna 172P
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 21, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20150221002169A
- Case key
- 90778
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 improper flight control inputs resulting in the loss of control during the landing flare.
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
The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing landings to a full stop. During the 6th landing, the student pilot over controlled the airplane during the landing flare. The flight instructor attempted to correct the flight control inputs; however, he was unable to overcome the strength of the student pilot on the flight controls. The airplane struck a bank of snow on the left side of the runway and nosed over. The left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. The flight instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing landings to a full stop. During the 6th landing, the student pilot over controlled the airplane during the landing flare. The flight instructor attempted to correct the flight control inputs; however, he was unable to overcome the strength of the student pilot on the flight controls. The airplane struck a bank of snow on the left side of the runway and nosed over. The left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. The flight instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N54974
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275096
- Built
- 1981
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Associated Air Activities Inc
- Registered owner
- Associated Air Activities Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KIGQ · Chicago, IL
- Destination
- KIKK · Kankakee, IL
- Airport
- KIKK · Greater Kankakee Airport, runway 22, 5,981 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 28, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 350 in this make and model · 25 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 0 total · 0 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KIKK
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 15, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 711 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.