# NTSB CEN21LA397: Cessna 172, N55245, New Braunfels, TX, August 19, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 19, 2021, 08:05 local (13:05 UTC) - Place: New Braunfels, TX - Coordinates: 29.7075, -98.041532 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7075&lon=-98.0415&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 103800 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA397 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103800/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103800 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA397 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing. ## 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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: 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: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot approached the airport to land with the wind generally aligned with the runway. The pilot reported that while on short final, he received a traffic alert from an on-board system alerting him to traffic on a short final. He continued the approach perceiving that performing a go-around would result in a potential mid-air collision. As he flared the airplane the wind quickly shifted to a direct crosswind which resulted in the right main landing gear touching down earlier than expected. The pilot applied a slight increase in power to prevent the nose landing gear from impacting the runway. The wind then reportedly shifted to a direct tailwind and the pilot lost control of the airplane. The nosewheel contacted the runway hard at which time the pilot performed a go-around. He landed the airplane without further incident. An examination of the airplane found substantial damage to the firewall and lower fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: N55245 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (S) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S11373 - Year built: 2014 - Airframe hours: 822.1 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Reiley Jeremy - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 2, 2021 - Departed: CLL, College Station, TX - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: BAZ, New Braunfels Rgnl, runway 17, 5,364 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 141.8 total, 42.3 in this make and model, 72.5 as pilot in command, 30.2 in the last 90 days, 21.4 in the last 30 days, 1.7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: KBAZ - METAR: METAR KBAZ 200151Z AUTO 14010KT 10SM CLR 30/22 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP121 T03000222 ## 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 20210819014439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210819014439A), Aug 19, 2021: Cessna 172S, New Braunfels, TX, Substantial damage. Pilot admitted he mismanaged controls due to helicopter in area with radio trouble, taking away his concentration on the landing. Pilot stuck NLG first in hard… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 13, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103800. 4.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12758715&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 504 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12759434&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%202%20CEN21LA397-Rel.pdf - Weather (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 200 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12759218&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather-Rel.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.