# NTSB CHI05CA060: Cessna 172RG, N9515B, Berrien Springs, MI, February 1, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 1, 2005, 08:50 local (13:50 UTC) - Place: Berrien Springs, MI - Coordinates: 41.951667, -86.367774 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9517&lon=-86.3678&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: South Bend, IN FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 60983 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI05CA060 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60983/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA060 ## Probable cause The pilot not maintaining airspeed leading to an excessive sink rate during a simulated emergency landing after takeoff. An additional cause was the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - emergency procedure - simulated, pilot in command - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - descent - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) ## Analysis The airplane, piloted by a private pilot receiving instruction from a certified flight instructor (CFI), sustained substantial damage during a hard landing following a simulated loss of engine power during takeoff and subsequent emergency landing after takeoff. The pilot's accident report stated, "On climb out, the air speed was held between 63 and 65 knots (Vy). To simulate an engine failure, the CFI reduced the throttle. Immediately upon noticing the loss of power, I lowered the nose of the aircraft to avoid loss of airspeed and to avoid a wing stall. While maintaining control of the aircraft, altitude was lost. An attempt was made to flare the aircraft before contact with the runway. Subsequently, a hard landing was made, and the aircraft came to a complete stop on the runway." The CFI's accident report stated, "We then made a short field takeoff and during the takeoff I simulated an engine failure. We immediately pushed the nose over but with insufficient airspeed we developed a high sink rate and made a hard landing." The CFI stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions associated with the airplane during the flight. The wind was calm. ## Factual narrative On February 1, 2004, about 0850 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172RG, N9515B, piloted by a private pilot receiving instruction from a certified flight instructor (CFI), sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on runway 13 at Andrews University Airpark, near Berrien Springs, Michigan, following a simulated loss of engine power during takeoff and subsequent emergency landing after takeoff. The instructional flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and CFI reported no injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot's accident report stated: At approximately 0830 after pre-flighting Cessna 172 RG N9515B, I was instructed by [the] CFI, to perform a short field take off on runway 13. I taxied onto the runway, aligned the aircraft with the center line and stopped. I applied the brakes and full power in the usual fashion. The brakes were released, and as airspeed increased with our ground roll, I rotated the aircraft at 60 knots indicated air speed. On climb out, the air speed was held between 63 and 65 knots (Vy). To simulate an engine failure, the CFI reduced the throttle. Immediately upon noticing the loss of power, I lowered the nose of the aircraft to avoid loss of airspeed and to avoid a wing stall. While maintaining control of the aircraft, altitude was lost. An attempt was made to flare the aircraft before contact with the runway. Subsequently, a hard landing was made, and the aircraft came to a complete stop on the runway. The CFI's accident report stated: We had a normal startup and taxi out. We proceeded to the end of runway 13 and the runup was normal. We then made a short field takeoff and during the takeoff I simulated an engine failure. We immediately pushed the nose over but with insufficient airspeed we developed a high sink rate and made a hard landing. The CFI stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions associated with the airplane during the flight. At 0853, the recorded weather at the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport, near Benton Harbor, Michigan, was: Wind calm; visibility 4 statute miles; present weather mist; sky condition overcast 6,500 feet; temperature -5 degrees C; dew point -7 degrees C; altimeter 30.46 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9515B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9515B), registered now, S/N 172RG0846, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172RG - Registry model: [Cessna 172RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (registry code 2072438) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172RG0846 - Airframe hours: 6026.7 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Andrews University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 17, 2004, 63.4 hours before - Departed: C20, Berrien Springs, MI - Destination: C20 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 49; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 28, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 4,260 total, 255 in this make and model, 4,074 as pilot in command, 64 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; injuries: none ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft broken - Temperature: 23 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.45 inHg - Observed at: BEH, 11 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 20050201034409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050201034409A), Feb 1, 2005: Cessna 172RG, Berriem Springs, MI, Substantial damage. (-23) Instructor simulated engine failure after take-off. Instructor did not take corrective action in time to avoid hard landing resulting in substantial… 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.