# NTSB CHI94LA338: Cessna 172, N8064B, Mora, MN, September 17, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 17, 1994, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Mora, MN - Coordinates: 47.480976, -94.869377 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.4810&lon=-94.8694&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9691 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI94LA338 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9691/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI94LA338 ## Probable cause was an improper touchdown by the pilot-in-command. Factor's associated with this accident were the pilot's diverted attention due to his perception of a crosswind condition and the pilot not performing a recovery from a bounced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - touchdown - improper, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - recovery from bounced landing - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command - Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - directional control - not possible, pilot in command - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft - Nose over, other ## Analysis THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO LAND ON ITS NOSE WHEEL BY A WITNESS. IT PORPOISED ABOUT FIVE TIMES BEFORE THE NOSE WHEEL TIRE BLEW OUT. AFTER THE TIRE BLOWOUT THE AIRPLANE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, EXITING THE RUNWAY EDGE, HAVING ITS NOSE GEAR SEPARATE FROM THE AIRFRAME AND THEN NOSING OVER IN SOFT SOD. THE PILOT GAVE A SIMILAR ACCOUNT OF THE EVENTS BUT SAID HE LANDED NOSE WHEEL FIRST, FOLLOWED BY NOSE WHEEL VIBRATION AND COLLAPSE. HE ALSO SAID HE WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CROSSWIND THAT HE WAS CARELESS ABOUT THE APPROACH. ## Factual narrative On September 17, 1994, at 1000 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 172, N8064B, registered to Charles B. Persons of Brainard, Minnesota, and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during landing onto runway 35 (3,998' X 75' dry asphalt) at the Mora Municipal Airport, Mora, Minnesota. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot reported minor injuries. The flight departed Brainard, Minnesota, at 0900 cdt. According to the pilot's written statement on NTSB Form 6120.1/2, he was "...so concerned about the cross wind I was careless about the approach and obviously landed nose wheel down... ." He said the airplane's nose wheel "... had a tendency to vibrate and make noises when I landed so always carefully kept weight off that wheel." He said that too much weight was placed on the nose wheel this time and it collapsed causing the airplane to go out of control and "...eventually [went] off the runway." After exiting the runway, the airplane encountered soft sod and nosed over. A witness to the accident stated the airplane "...was too fast and when attempting to land struck the nose wheel first and then ... started to porpoise... ." He said the airplane's nose tire blew out after the fifth "...bounce...", losing directional control and drifted to the left side of the runway. The witness concluded his statement by saying the airplane's nose gear separated from the airframe as the airplane left the runway. When the bottom cowl touched the soft sod on the runway's edge, the airplane nosed over according to this witness. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8064B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8064B), registered now, S/N 29864, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 - Registry model: [Cessna 172](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172) (registry code 2072402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 29864 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-300 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Charles B. Persons - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: BRD, BRAINARD, MN - Airport: 19D, Mora Municipal Airport, runway 35, 3,998 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 85; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,352 total, 1,352 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: 19D ## 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 19940917036259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940917036259A), Sep 17, 1994: Cessna 172, Mora, MN, Substantial damage. Landed fast nose wheel first. Lost control. Nosed over off runway. 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.