# NTSB CHI02LA295: Cessna 172R, N3510A, Greenwood, IL, September 26, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 26, 2002, 15:05 local (20:05 UTC) - Place: Greenwood, IL - Coordinates: 42.402778, -88.375274 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4028&lon=-88.3753&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA- DuPage FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55786 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA295 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55786/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA295 ## Probable cause The CFI's poor inflight planning/decision to allow the airplane to get to too low of an altitude to assure a safe recovery from the simulated forced landing. Factors associated with the accident were the student pilot's delay initiating the go around and the corn crop which the airplane contacted. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, go-around (vfr) - emergency procedure - simulated - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - altitude - low, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - go-around - delayed, dual student (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - crop (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane collided with corn and the terrain during a simulated forced landing. The CFI reported they were at 4,500 feet mean sea level when a simulated loss of engine power was initiated. He reported that the best glide speed was established and they proceeded to a field that was selected. The CFI reported that at an altitude of about 50 feet above the ground, he instructed the student to go around. He stated that the student hesitated in adding the power, and when he did hear the power increase it did not sound like full power. He continued to state, "I proceeded to say full power and tried to put my hand on the throttle but his hand was still there. I pushed his hand in and then went immediately to reduce the flaps to 20 degrees." He stated he also increased the pitch attitude of the airplane, but by that time they were 10 to 15 feet above the ground. The CFI reported that before a positive rate of climb could be established, the landing gear contacted the corn and the airplane was pulled into the field. The student pilot reported that he hesitated when he was instructed to add full power. Title 14 CFR Part 91.119 - Minimum Safe Altitudes: General states, in part,: Except when necessary for takeoff and landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes: (a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface and (c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. ## Factual narrative On September 26, 2002, at 1505 central daylight time, a Cessna 172R, N3510A, collided with corn and the terrain during a simulated forced landing in Greenwood, Illinois. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and the student pilot on board were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 training flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from Waukegan, Illinois, at 1435. The CFI reported they were at 4,500 feet mean sea level when a simulated loss of engine power was initiated. He reported that the best glide speed was established and they proceeded to a field that was selected. The CFI reported that at an altitude of about 50 feet above the ground, he instructed the student to go around. He stated that the student hesitated in adding the power, and when he did hear the power increase it did not sound like full power. He continued to state, "I proceeded to say full power and tried to put my hand on the throttle but his hand was still there. I pushed his hand in and then went immediately to reduce the flaps to 20 degrees." He stated he also increased the pitch attitude of the airplane, but by that time they were 10 to 15 feet above the ground. The CFI reported that before a positive rate of climb could be established, the landing gear contacted the corn and the airplane was pulled into the field. The student pilot reported that he hesitated when he was instructed to add full power. Title 14 CFR Part 91.119 - Minimum Safe Altitudes: General states: Except when necessary for takeoff and landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes: (a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface. (b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft. (c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. (d) Helicopters. Helicopters may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section if the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface. In addition, each person operating a helicopter shall comply with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the Administrator. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3510A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3510A), registered now, S/N 17281042, built 2001 (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: 17281042 - Airframe hours: 855 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Waukegan Wings LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 20, 2002, 20 hours before - Departed: UGN, Waukegan, IL - Destination: UGN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review May 1, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 1,504 total, 1,078 in this make and model, 1,458 as pilot in command, 210 in the last 90 days, 64 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; injuries: none - Student pilot; age 31; injuries: none; seat: left; flight hours: 9 total, 9 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: UGN, 22 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 20020926026779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020926026779A), Sep 26, 2002: Cessna 172R, Greenwood, IL, Substantial damage. (-23) The instructor told the student to go around 50 feet above the ground during a practice emergency landing. The student did not apply full power, and the… 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.