# NTSB CHI01LA092: Cessna 172R, N975BC, Battle Creek, MI, February 13, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 13, 2001, 12:50 local (17:50 UTC) - Place: Battle Creek, MI - Coordinates: 42.30923, -85.11061 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3092&lon=-85.1106&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - Grand Rapids FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 51803 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI01LA092 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51803/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA092 ## Probable cause Aircraft control not maintained by the student pilot during the takeoff roll. Factors to the accident were the student pilot's lack of experience and the snowbank. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - roll/run - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor) - Nose over, takeoff - roll/run ## Analysis The student pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings on his second solo flight. After the first landing was completed, the pilot advanced the throttle for the next takeoff roll when the aircraft swerved to the left, impacting a snowbank along the left side of the runway. The pilot reported, "I performed the first circuit [traffic pattern] correctly and placed [landed] the aircraft a little to the left of the centerline. My intention was to do a touch and go. I looked down upon touchdown to give the aircraft full throttle. As I did this I felt the nose shake a little. When I looked up, the tail simultaneously fishtailed to the right." The pilot reported, "I was heading directly for the left side of the runway edge. I tried to correct the situation with right rudder, but my recovery was either not quick enough or I didn't get enough response from the rudder." The pilot stated, "The nose hit the snow immediately at the edge of the runway and sunk in. The rest of the aircraft flipped over the sunken nose wheel." ## Factual narrative On February 13, 2001, at 1250 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172R, N975BC, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage during an on-ground collision with a snowbank following a loss of control during a takeoff run on runway 23 (10,003 feet by 150 feet, dry/asphalt) at the W K Kellogg Airport, Battle Creek, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The solo instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The student pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The local flight departed the W K Kellogg Airport at 1242. According to the pilot's written statement, he was on his second solo flight and was practicing touch-and-go's at the time of the accident. The pilot stated, "I performed the first circuit [traffic pattern] correctly and placed [landed] the aircraft a little to the left of the centerline. My intention was to do a touch and go. I looked down upon touchdown to give the aircraft full throttle. As I did this I felt the nose shake a little. When I looked up, the tail simultaneously fishtailed to the right." The pilot reported, "I was heading directly for the left side of the runway edge. I tried to correct the situation with right rudder, but my recovery was either not quick enough or I didn't get enough response from the rudder." The pilot stated, "The nose hit the snow immediately at the edge of the runway and sunk in. The rest of the aircraft flipped over the sunken nose wheel." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N975BC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N975BC-2012-03-27), registration cancelled 2012-03-27, S/N 17280046, built 1997 (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 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17280046 - Airframe hours: 2234 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Western Michigan University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, January 11, 2001, 34.6 hours before - Departed: BTL, BATTLE CREEK, MI - Destination: BTL, BATTLE CREEK, MI - Airport: BTL, W K Kellogg Airport, runway 23, 10,003 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 23; injuries: none; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 6 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,700 ft overcast - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.28 inHg - Observed at: BTL ## 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 20010213001839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010213001839A), Feb 13, 2001: Cessna 172R, Battle Creek, MI, No damage. (-23)On 02-13-01 at 15:50Z (12.50) EST, a Cessna 172 associated with western Michigan university,Battle Creek, Michigan ran off the left side of the runway… ## Other investigations on N975BC (1) 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. - [NTSB CHI00LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI00LA115), Apr 18, 2000: Cessna 172R (N975BC), Battle Creek, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing. Factors associated with the accident were the misjudged landing flare, the student's lack of total… 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.