# NTSB CEN22LA043: Cessna 172P, N99715, Wheeling, IL, November 21, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 21, 2021, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Wheeling, IL - Coordinates: 42.122436, -87.906659 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1224&lon=-87.9067&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Greater Chicago FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104286 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA043 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104286/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104286 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA043 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was the student pilot’s self-induced pressure to land after being admonished by the controller. ## 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 · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072436), [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: [Cessna 172P, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Mental/emotional state: stress](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022510/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that he was flying a solo traffic pattern flight when during the final approach to land and configured with 20° of flaps, the airplane began drifting left of the runway centerline. The student pilot applied power to extend the touchdown point while trying to reestablish the airplane over the runway centerline when the airplane “dropped suddenly” onto the runway and began to porpoise. Before the student pilot could recover, the airplane “dropped heavily” a second time, resulting in the nose wheel separating and the airplane departing the left side of the runway. The airplane came to rest on the lower fuselage in the grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward and bottom fuselage. The student pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe and engine that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that while in the traffic pattern, the air traffic controller tried to reach him three times with no response. When the student pilot did respond, the controller admonished the student pilot for not paying attention to the radio calls. The student pilot reported that he likely flared too high over the runway and that the admonishment from the controller was “unsettling” and that he should have executed a go-around rather than attempt to land on that approach. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99715](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99715), registered now, S/N 17276501 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17276501 - Year built: 1985 - Airframe hours: 8246.8 - Engines: Lycoming Engines O-320-A2F 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 10, 2021 - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PWK, Chicago Exec, runway 16/34, 5,001 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 3, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 84.8 total, 12.3 in this make and model, 5.6 as pilot in command, 27.6 in the last 90 days, 12.3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: KPWK - METAR: KPWK 211652Z 23007KT 10SM BKN060 BKN075 10/01 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP166 T01000011 $ ## 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 20211121019719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211121019719A), Nov 21, 2021: Cessna 172P, Wheeling, IL, Substantial damage. NTSB accident number is: CEN22LA043 Atqa accident number for this event is: AGL0322001 Sas activity number(s) associated with the event GL03202203357 Aircraft:… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 18, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104286. 8.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13033792&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120_1%20Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 6.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13032284&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-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.