# NTSB CHI02LA036: Cessna 172M, N4380R, Vandalia, MO, November 17, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 17, 2001, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Vandalia, MO - Coordinates: 39.299201, -91.489166 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2992&lon=-91.4892&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 26, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-St. Louis, Missouri-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 53797 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA036 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53797/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA036 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate directional control on the previous landing resulting in the overload failure of the nose landing gear fork. Factors were the overload of the nose landing gear fork, and the student pilot's lack of total experience. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - landing gear,nose gear - overload (contributing factor) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - directional control - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing ## Analysis The airplane nosed over during the fourth touch and go landing on a grass airstrip. The nose wheel and portions of the landing gear fork were found 100 yards in front of the airplane. The fork was bent to the left and the fractures exhibited signatures consistent with overload failure. No other anomalies were found. The pilot said that the fourth landing was nose high and when the nose lowered during rollout, the airplane shuddered, stopped and nosed over. ## Factual narrative On November 17, 2001, at 1115 central standard time, a Cessna 172M, N4380R, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage during a landing and subsequent nose over at a private airstrip near Vandalia, Missouri. The north-south oriented turf runway is about 2,500 feet long by 200 feet wide, and the landing was made to the north. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight was not on a flight plan and was operating in visual meteorological conditions. The student pilot received minor injuries. The local flight originated at an undetermined time. In a written statement, the pilot said that he was performing touch and go's and was landing on runway 36 at the private airstrip. He said that he had performed three touch and go's without incident. He said that on the fourth attempt he landed in a nose up attitude. He said that during the rollout, the airplane nose lowered, and then the airplane shuddered. He said that the airplane then came to a stop and nosed over. A postaccident examination of the airplane and wreckage area revealed the nose landing gear fork broken in two places. The nose wheel and portions of the fork were found about 100 yards in front of the airplane. The fork was examined and the fracture surfaces exhibited signatures consistent with overload failure. The fork ears were bent to the left. No other anomalies were found with respect to the airplane or its systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4380R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4380R-2012-11-21), registration cancelled 2012-11-21, S/N 17263130, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17263130 - Airframe hours: 3449 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Vandalia Flying Club 2 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 10, 2001, 15 hours before - Departed: PVT, Vandalia, MO - Airport: PVT, runway 36, 2,400 × 75 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 20 total, 20 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 5 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.37 inHg - Observed at: COU, 52 nm away ## 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 20011117033049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011117033049A), Nov 17, 2001: Cessna 172M, Vandalia, MO, No damage. (-23) On November 17, 2001 Mr. Craig m. long was practicing takeoffs and landings at a private grass strip in Vandalia, MO. On the third landing the nose… 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.