# NTSB CEN17LA082: Cessna 172M, N80374, Hobart, IN, January 6, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 6, 2017, 13:05 local (19:05 UTC) - Place: Hobart, IN - Coordinates: 41.551666, -87.263885 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5517&lon=-87.2639&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report August 10, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 94643 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN17LA082 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94643/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94643 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA082 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to abort the landing when he recognized the airplane was traveling too fast, which resulted in impact with trees off the end of the runway. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was landing to the south after his personal flight. He stated that, during the landing, the airplane's ground speed "picked up," and he thought he had a tailwind. The airport owner thought the airplane was traveling at a high speed on approach. The pilot stated that he chose to land, and, as the airplane touched down, it "skipped" off the runway. The airplane then crashed into a wooded area off the departure end of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, engine, and fuselage. The pilot could not recall what happened between the time the airplane "skipped" off the runway and when emergency personnel arrived. The engine throttle and fuel/air mixture controls were found in the full forward position, and the carburetor heat knob was found in the ON position. The flaps were retracted. The airplane appeared to be partially configured for a go-around; however, the pilot should have aborted the landing when he realized the airplane was traveling too fast. ## Factual narrative ***This report was modified on July 20, 2020. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.*** On January 6, 2017, about 1305 central standard time, a Cessna 172M, N80374, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Hobart Sky Ranch Airport (3HO), Hobart, Indiana. The pilot received serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot told a law enforcement officer that he approached the runway to land from the north and when the landing gear contacted the runway the airplane "skipped" and overshot the runway. The airport owner saw the airplane approach the runway to land and noticed that the airplane was traveling at a high speed. As the airplane touched down it "skipped" off of the runway and then crashed into a wooded area off the departure end of the runway. The pilot could not recall what happened between the time the airplane "skipped" off the runway and when emergency personnel arrived. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident the pilot stated that the wind was from the west and he chose to land to the south. He stated that he noticed that his groundspeed "picked up" and he thought he had a tailwind. He elected to put the airplane on the runway and try to get it stopped. The airplane came to rest about 150 ft beyond the departure end of the 3,125 ft. long runway in a thickly wooded area. Both wings, the engine, and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The carburetor heat was "hot", the throttle and mixture were full forward, and the wing flaps were retracted. Chordwise scratches and leading-edge polishing were visible on one propeller blade. The condition of the second propeller blade was not documented. Scuff marks were present on each main landing gear. Tree limbs and brush were broken off about 3 ft above the ground along the path of travel from the runway to the wreckage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N80374](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N80374-2017-12-14), registration cancelled 2017-12-14, S/N 17266557, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M (M) - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17266557 - Year built: 1976 - Airframe hours: 4968 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 28, 2016 - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: 3HO, Hobart Sky Ranch, runway 18, 3,125 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; flight hours: 170 total, 150 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 10 °F, dew point -8 °F - Altimeter: 29.63 inHg - Observed at: 8 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20170106000039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170106000039A), Jan 6, 2017: Cessna 172M, Hobart, IN, Substantial damage. Pilot was landing on runway 18 at Hobart. The airplane ran off the end of the runway. The wind at the gary airport was 290 at 12 knots at 12:45 p.m. ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94643. 1.9 MB in all. - Record of Communication - FAA (item 1, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484205&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Communication%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF - Report from Local Police (item 2, .PDF, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484206&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20from%20Local%20Police-Master.PDF - Memo for Record - Wreckage Description (item 3, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484207&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record%20-%20Wreckage%20Description-Master.PDF - Photos (item 4, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484208&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 5, .PDF, 150 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484209&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.