# NTSB CEN22LA170: Cessna 172, N857CP, Houston, TX, April 3, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 3, 2022, 12:45 local (17:45 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.6222, -95.6565 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6222&lon=-95.6565&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104916 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA170 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104916/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104916 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA170 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain direction control during takeoff in gusty wind conditions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072401), [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 · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2072401), [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 · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) - [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 172R, 75 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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 on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that she was practicing touch and go landings. She had just added full power to take off when the airplane veered to the left. The student pilot attempted to correct with the application of right rudder; however, she perceived that the rudder was “locked into place” and required full body weight to apply full right rudder. The student pilot lost control of the airplane and exited the side of the runway which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane found no obvious malfunctions with the flight controls, although impact damage precluded full rudder deflection. The instructor pilot that witnessed the accident reported that the wind had increased past what was forecast and past the student pilot’s limit. At the time of the accident the student pilot was taking off on runway 17 with wind from 130° at 12 kts, gusting to 18 kts; the crosswind was calculated to be 11 kts. ## Factual narrative On April 3, 2022, about 1245 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N857CP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sugar Land Regional Airport (KSGR), Houston, Texas. The student pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The student pilot reported that, while practicing touch and go landings to runway 17, she added full power for takeoff and added right rudder to correct but perceived that the rudder was “locked into place”. The student pilot applied more pressure; however, the airplane would only correct slightly to the right before it would drift left again. She applied “full weight on the right rudder” at which time the airplane drifted right and left “very dramatically.” The nose of the airplane came up and the student pilot reduced the engine power to avoid taking off. She applied brakes to stop but stated only the left brake seemed to respond. The airplane jerked to the left and came to rest on the grass. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airplane found no obvious malfunctions with the flight controls, although impact damage precluded full rudder deflection. A flight instructor pilot that witnessed the accident reported that the wind had increased past what was forecast and past the student pilot’s limit. At the time of the accident wind was from 130° at 12 kts, gusting to 18 kts; the crosswind was calculated to be 11 kts. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N857CP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N857CP-2023-05-15), registration cancelled 2023-05-15, S/N 17280518, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (R) - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17280518 - Year built: 1998 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Anson Air LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: SGR, Sugar Land Rgnl, runway 17, 8,000 × 100 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 12 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: KSGR - METAR: METAR KSGR 031753Z 13012G18KT 10SM CLR 28/12 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP152 T02830122 10283 20178 58010= ## 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 20220403001709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220403001709A), Apr 3, 2022: Cessna 172R, Sgar Land, TX, Substantial damage. On a written statement provided by the aircraft [privacy data omitted]operator and subsequently validated with the student pilot as authentic, the student… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 22, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104916. 1.7 MB in all. - Case findings (item 1, PDF, 3 pages, 291 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14604142&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Case%20Findings%20CEN22LA170-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 338 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14595160&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201%20CEN22LA170-Rel.pdf - Additional photo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 330 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14604750&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Additional%20Photo%20CEN22LA170-Rel.pdf - Statements (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 692 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14595709&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Various%20Accident%20Statements_Redacted-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.