# NTSB CHI02LA102: Cessna 172P, N53066, Council Bluffs, IA, April 9, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 9, 2002, 07:10 local (12:10 UTC) - Place: Council Bluffs, IA - Coordinates: 41.265834, -95.766387 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2658&lon=-95.7664&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA, Des Moines FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54479 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54479/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54479 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA102 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane and the subsequent inadvertent stall. A factor associated with the accident was the student's lack of total experience. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The airplane collided with the terrain following a loss of control while landing. The student pilot reported that this was his first landing of the day. He reported that while on final approach, at an altitude of 10 to 20 feet above the ground, at an airspeed of 60 to 65 knots, he heard a loud noise. He stated that the noise sounded as if it was coming from the right side of the airplane behind the passenger seat. The student reported, "Shortly after the noise the airplane started to bank hard to the left, like in a large crosswind. The bank became uncontrollable, even with the yoke turned fully to the right." The pilot reported he increased the throttle slightly, and applied right aileron, but the airplane would not recover. He reported the airplane stayed in the left bank until it contacted the grass next to the taxiway. The pilot stated that he thought the stall warning horn sounded just prior to the airplane impacting the terrain. Postaccident inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any failure/malfunction of the airplane and its flight control systems which would have resulted in the reported loss of control . The student pilot reported having 42 hours of total flight time, 1.6 hours of which were solo flight time. ## Factual narrative On April 9, 2002, at 0710 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N53066, collided with the terrain following a loss of control while landing on runway 31 (4,100 feet by 75 feet, concrete) at the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport, Council Bluffs, Iowa. The solo student pilot received minor injuries. The airplane received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport, at 0705. The student pilot reported that this was his first landing of the day. He reported that while on final approach, at an altitude of 10 to 20 feet above the ground, at an airspeed of 60 to 65 knots, he heard a loud noise. He stated that the noise sounded as if it was coming from the right side of the airplane behind the passenger seat. The student reported, "Shortly after the noise the airplane started to bank hard to the left, like in a large crosswind. The bank became uncontrollable, even with the yoke turned fully to the right." The pilot reported he increased the throttle slightly, and applied right aileron, but the airplane would not recover. He reported the airplane stayed in the left bank until it contacted the grass next to the taxiway. The pilot stated that he thought the stall warning horn sounded just prior to the airplane impacting the terrain. A postaccident inspection of the airplane was conducted by an inspector from the Des Moines, Iowa, Federal Aviation Administration, Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported that flight control continuity was established to the flight controls. The inspector reported that he found nothing mechanically wrong with the airplane which would have resulted in the loss of control. The student pilot reported having 42 hours of total flight time, 1.6 hours of which were solo flight time. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N53066](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N53066-2002-07-26), registration cancelled 2002-07-26, S/N 17274677, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17274677 - Airframe hours: 8288 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Advance Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 8, 2002, 75 hours before - Departed: CBF, Council Bluffs, IA - Destination: CBF, Council Bluffs, IA - Airport: CBF, Council Bluffs Municipal, runway 31, 4,100 × 75 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 16; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 42 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.26 inHg - Observed at: CBF ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54479. 299 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 299 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40427443&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.