# NTSB CEN20CA112: Cessna 172, N5815E, Madison, IN, March 3, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 3, 2020, 17:06 local (22:06 UTC) - Place: Madison, IN - Coordinates: 38.759998, -85.464721 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7600&lon=-85.4647&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 29, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 101029 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101029/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101029 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA112 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose-over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the flight instructor, during the third approach, he took the controls from the student pilot and informed the student that he would land the airplane. The airplane was configured with "minimal flaps" due to gusting crosswind conditions. During landing, the wind shifted from a quartering headwind to a direct crosswind. The airplane bounced on touchdown and subsequently exited the right side of the runway, entered soft mud, and then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing lift strut. The instructor stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the flight instructor, during the third approach, he took the controls and informed the student that he would land the airplane. The airplane was configured with "minimal flaps" due to the gusting crosswind conditions. The instructor reported that during landing, the wind shifted from a quartering headwind, to a direct crosswind. The airplane bounced on touchdown and subsequently exited the right side of the runway. It entered the soft mud surface and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. The METAR at the accident airport reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 17 knots and gusting to 25 knots. The airplane landed on runway 21. ## Aircraft - Registration: N5815E (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (N) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17271942 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 1769.6 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4N 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Honaker Group LLC - Registered owner: Honaker Group LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2019 - Departed: IMS, Madison, IN - Destination: IMS, Madison, IN - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: IMS, Madison Muni, runway 21, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 18; injuries: none; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4 total, 4 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days - Flight instructor; age 48; injuries: none; flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 24, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,127 total, 20 in this make and model, 1,043 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 19 knots, gusting 27 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 32 °F - Observed at: IMS ## 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 20200303001599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200303001599A), Mar 3, 2020: Cessna 172N, Madison, IN, Substantial damage. During a training flight, on March 3, 2020, a Cessna 172, N5815E, departed the runway at the Madison, Indiana airport (kims). The CFI, acting pilot in command… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 7, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101029. 4.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482045&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Video (item 2, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482104&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Video%20-Master.PDF - Photo (item 3, .PDF, 152 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482046&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-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.