# NTSB CHI03LA079: Cessna 172R, N35307, St. Paul, MN, March 5, 2003

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 5, 2003, 15:28 local (21:28 UTC)
- Place: St. Paul, MN
- Coordinates: 45.857223, -93.032775
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8572&lon=-93.0328&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 30, 2003
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA-Minneapolis-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 56632
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA079
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56632/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA079

## Probable cause

The loss of directional control by the solo student pilot.  A factor to the accident was the excessive speed during landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - ground
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

The airplane was damaged when it departed the runway and nosed over during a student solo flight.  A report submitted by the airplane operator and signed by the pilot states that, on landing, the student pilot lost directional control and departed the right side of the runway.  The report further states that the "airplane may have been fast on approach, and subsequently landed flat and fast."  No preexisting mechanical defects were found during a postaccident examination of the airplane.  The student pilot had a total of 37.5 hours of flight experience.

## Factual narrative

On March 5, 2003, at 1528 central standard time, a Cessna 172R, N35307, piloted by a solo student pilot, sustained substantial damage during landing at the South St. Paul Municipal Airport, South St. Paul, Minnesota.  The airplane departed the runway and nosed over.  The 14 CFR Part 91 local flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan.  The student pilot was not injured.  The local flight originated at 1430.

A report submitted by the airplane operator and signed by the pilot states that, on landing, the student pilot lost directional control and departed the right side of the runway.  After leaving the runway, the airplane nosed over and came to rest upside down.  The report further states that the "airplane may have been fast on approach, and subsequently landed flat and fast."

No preexisting mechanical defects were found during a postaccident examination of the airplane.

The student pilot had a total of 37.5 hours of flight experience.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N35307 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172R
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17281009
- Airframe hours: 1082.3
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Wings, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, February 13, 2003
- Departed: SGS, St. Paul, MN
- Airport: SGS, South St. Paul Municipal Airpo, runway 16, 4,001 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 17; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 38 total, 38 in this make and model, 2 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 16 °F, dew point -8 °F
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observed at: SGS

## 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 20030305001859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030305001859A), Mar 5, 2003: Cessna 172R, South St Paul, MN, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot in traffic pattern and local flight performing touch and go landings on runway 16 @ south st. Paul fleming field (ksgs), South St Paul, MN.…

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.