- Date
- March 26, 2008, 15:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Traverse City, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5338BCessna 182
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080326832599A
- Case key
- 67793
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The unstabalized approach performed by the student pilot and the go-around not performed by the student pilot. Additional causes were the inadequate recovery from a bounced landing and the directional control not obtained by the student pilot. Contributing factors were the wind gusts and the student pilot’s lack of total experience.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The airplane received substantial damage on impact with terrain when it veered off runway 28 (6,501 feet by 150 feet, asphalt) and nosed over during a student solo flight. The student pilot stated that after turning to the final approach segment, he increased engine power because the airplane altitude was low. He stated that the airplane altitude then became too high, and he should have performed a go-around. He then reduced engine power, and the airplane began a "rapid" descent. During the landing flare, he "lost control" and bounced the airplane after the airplane experienced a reported wind gust. He attempted to use rudder but unknowingly used brakes in trying to steer the airplane. The airplane then skidded off the runway, nosed over, and sustained structural damage to both wings and empennage.
Factual narrative
The airplane received substantial damage on impact with terrain when it veered off runway 28 (6,501 feet by 150 feet, asphalt) and nosed over during a student solo flight. The student pilot stated that after turning to the final approach segment, he increased engine power because the airplane altitude was low. He stated that the airplane altitude then became too high, and he should have performed a go-around. He then reduced engine power, and the airplane began a "rapid" descent. During the landing flare, he "lost control" and bounced the airplane after the airplane experienced a reported wind gust. He attempted to use rudder but unknowingly used brakes in trying to steer the airplane. The airplane then skidded off the runway, nosed over, and sustained structural damage to both wings and empennage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5338B
- Reported as
- Cessna 182
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 33338
- Engine
- Continental O-470L, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 57D · New Haven, MI
- Destination
- TVC · Traverse City, MI
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- TVC · Cherry Capital, runway 28, 6,501 × 150 ft
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 56
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 50 total · 42 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- TVC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.