CHI02LA077

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172 · Manito, IL · February 9, 2002

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 9, 2002, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
Place
Manito, IL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N7025ACessna 172
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 25, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20020209004829A
Case key
54190

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's improper planning and decision and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall and hard landing. The gusting crosswind conditions were a contributing factor.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Planning/decision - improperPilot in command(cfi)Cause
Short field landing/procedure - attemptedPilot in command(cfi)Cause
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Nose gear collapsedLanding - flare/touchdown

Analysis

The Cessna 172 stalled approximately 17 feet agl during a short field landing demonstrated by a certified flight instructor (CFI) to a student pilot. The CFI stated that the winds were from 180 degrees and that the airplane encountered wind shear due to trees while landing on runway 22 (2,784 feet by 40 feet). Winds were recorded 11 nm north-northeast of the accident site to be 160 degrees at 21 knots gusting to 26 knots resulting in a crosswind component of 14 knots gusting to 18 knots. Later models of the Cessna 172 have a demonstrated crosswind component of 15 knots.

Factual narrative

On February 9, 2002, at 1500 central standard time, a Cessna 172, N7025A, piloted by a certified flight instructor (CFI), was substantially damaged during a hard landing on runway 22 (2,784 feet by 40 feet, asphalt) at the Manito Mitchell Airport (C45), Manito, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight was not operating on a flight plan. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were uninjured. The flight originated from the Pekin Municipal Airport, Pekin, Illinois, at 1430, en route to C45.

The CFI reported in a written statement, "Demonstrating short field approach to [runway] 22 at C45. Wind from 180 [degrees]. Line of trees to left of [runway]. [Aircraft] encountered wind shear due to trees and stalled from 15-20 feet agl. Nose wheel collapsed - firewall and lower cowling damaged. No injuries, fuel spills or fire."

The automated surface observing system at the Greater Peoria Regional Airport, Peoria, Illinois, located 11.2 nm and 20.2 degrees from C45, recorded at 1454, wind from 160 degrees at 21 knots gusting to 26 knots.

The 74 year old CFI accumulated a total flight time of 6,688 hours in aircraft; of which, 3,000 hours were in the make and model of the accident airplane. Of the 3,000 hours, 2,700 hours were accumulated while acting as a flight instructor.

The accident airplane was a 1956 Cessna 172, which did not contain a maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity as do models certificated under current certification requirements. These later models have a demonstrated crosswind component of 15 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N7025A
Reported as
Cessna 172
Category
Airplane
Serial number
29125
Airframe hours
4,734
Engine
Continental O-300A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
N-7025a
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 15, 2001 · 60 hours before
Departed
C15 · Pekin, IL
Destination
C45 · Manito, IL
Airport
C45 · Manito Mitchell Airport, runway 22, 2,784 × 40 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
74
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
June 25, 2000
Seat
Right
Flight hours
6,688 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 6,589 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot
Age
18
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3
Seat
Left
Flight hours
31 total · 31 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
160° at 21 knots, gusting 26
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
55 °F, dew point 37 °F
Altimeter
29.87 inHg
Observed at
PIA, 11 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.