# NTSB CEN23LA256: Cessna 172R, N674MA, Romeoville, IL, May 23, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 23, 2023, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Romeoville, IL - Coordinates: 41.608097, -88.09639 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6081&lon=-88.0964&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - 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: Federal Aviation Administration, Greater Chicago FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 192428 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA256 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192428/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192428 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA256 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to attain/maintain a proper landing flare and failure to perform a go-around that resulted in an impact with the runway. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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 172R, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 46 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot stated that during her initial solo flight, she attempted three landings. The first and second landing attempts resulted in go-arounds. During the third landing attempt, there was a “severe porpoise,” and she felt the airplane “rushing down the runway uncontrollably.” She “pushed down” to stop the porpoise because she felt that she was never going to be able to land. The airplane then impacted the runway surface and sustained substantial damage, which included damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by performing a go-around instead of forcing the airplane onto the runway. There was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane reported that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N674MA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N674MA), registered now, S/N 17280742, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17280742 - Year built: 1999 - Airframe hours: 8621.7 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Lewis University - Registered owner: Lewis University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 28, 2023 - Departed: LOT, Romeoville, IL - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: LOT, Lewis University Airport, runway 9, 5,500 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 18; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 52.6 total, 52.6 in this make and model, 0.3 as pilot in command, 31.3 in the last 90 days, 16.7 in the last 30 days, 1.6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.15 inHg - Observed at: LOT ## 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 20230523006499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230523006499A), May 23, 2023: Cessna 172R, Romeoville, IL, Substantial damage. The pilot in command (PIC) of the Cessna 172 was on their first solo flight in the pattern at lewis university airport, Romeoville, Illinois (klot). The pic’s… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 28, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192428. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15849449&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 407 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15849588&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-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.