CEN18LA056

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172N · Maple Lake, MN · November 22, 2017

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
November 22, 2017, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
Place
Maple Lake, MN
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N734VHCessna 172N
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 28, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20171122019729A
Case key
96500

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 maintain directional control while landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.

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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 172N: 82 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCessna 172N: 150 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

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 he had a "rough landing" and the "right rear strut wheel broke." Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane touched down on the runway, and skid marks were found on the runway and grass infield. The airplane exited the runway, crossed over a taxiway, impacted a rock drainage revetment, and then impacted a hangar about 2,100 ft from the touchdown point. The landing gear strut did not separate from the airplane until about 100 ft before impact with the hangar. Examination of the airplane wreckage did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Thus, the pilot likely failed to maintain directional control while landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.

Factual narrative

On November 22, 2017, about 1200 central standard time, a Cessna 172N airplane, N734VH, registered to a private individual, was substantially damaged after a landing gear collapse and runway excursion at the Maple Lake Municipal Airport (MGG), Maple Lake, Minnesota. The pilot and 2 passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated at 1100 from the Cumberland Municipal Airport (UMB), Cumberland, Wisconsin. The pilot initially reported that while landing on runway 28, he had a "rough landing," the "right rear strut wheel broke," and the airplane skidded into a hangar. Examination of the accident site and aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane touched down on runway 28 and slid onto the grass infield about 1,000 feet beyond the touchdown point. The aircraft crossed over a taxiway, impacted a rock drainage revetment, and then impacted a hangar. The total distance traveled by the airplane was about 2,100 feet from touchdown to impact with the hangar. Skid marks on the runway and grass correlated to the airplane's path during the excursion and evidence at the site showed that the landing gear strut separated from the airplane about 100-feet prior to impact with the hangar. Examination of the airplane wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. The pilot did not provide any additional information or an NTSB Form 6120. Figure 1. Approximate Location of Touchdown and Impact with Hangar

Aircraft

Registration
N734VH
Reported as
Cessna 172N (N)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17269145
Built
1977
Airframe hours
7,980
Engine
Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 1, 2016 · 2 hours before
Departed
UMB · Cumberland, WI
Destination
MGG · Maple Lake, MN
Airport
MGG · Maple Lake Municipal, runway 28, 2,796 × 60 ft, asphalt
Equipment
None

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
51
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3
Last flight review
August 1, 2015
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
120 total · 100 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
190° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
5,500 ft broken
Temperature
23 °F, dew point 16 °F
Altimeter
30.20 inHg
Observed at
MGG

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 27, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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.

Other investigations on N734VH · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.