# NTSB CHI95LA108: Cessna 172, N65490, Alma, MI, March 16, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 16, 1995, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Alma, MI - Coordinates: 43.370967, -84.650932 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3710&lon=-84.6509&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 29, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9857 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI95LA108 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9857/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA108 ## Probable cause the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action during the approach to landing/landing roll. Related factors are the flight instructor's inadequate supervision, the dual student's wrong runway selection, the tailwind, and the dual student's failure to attain the proper touchdown point. ## 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 - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - wrong runway - selected, dual student (contributing factor) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - proper touchdown point - not attained, dual student (contributing factor) - remedial action - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - Nose down, landing - roll ## Analysis THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THE DUAL STUDENT WAS HANDLING THE CONTROLS FOR THE LANDING. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED DOWN. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DUE TO A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE LEFT BRAKE. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF BRAKE MALFUNCTION. A WITNESS STATED THE AIRPLANE CAME IN HIGH AND FAST, WITH A GUSTING TAILWIND, AND TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1,000 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. ## Factual narrative On March 16, 1995, about 1700 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N65490, operated as a rental/instructional airplane, landed long and ran off the runway at Gratiot Community Airport in Alma, Michigan. The airplane sustained substantial damage when veered off the left side of the runway, then nosed over. The Certificated Flight Instructor and Private Pilot on board the airplane reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instrument training flight, no flight plan was filed. The dual instructional flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Pontiac, Michigan, approximately 1600. The flight instructor reported the dual student was manipulating the airplane controls when they attempted to land on Runway 9 (5,000' X 75', asphalt.) He stated when the airplane touched down, it pulled sharply to the left. The flight instructor took over the controls, but was unable to stop the airplane from veering off the left side of the runway. The airplane came to a stop nose down in the soft ground. The flight instructor's written statement indicated there was a mechanical malfunction/failure of the left brake. Postaccident investigation revealed no evidence of mechanical difficulty with the brake system. A Gratiot Community Airport employee observed the wind was out of 260 degrees, "...with occasional southerly shifts..." at an estimated 9 knots at the time of the accident. He stated local traffic had been using Runway 27 for takeoffs and landings that afternoon, but there was a "lull" in the traffic when the accident airplane arrived. The airport employee stated when he observed the airplane it seemed high and fast on final for Runway 9. He reported when the airplane passed the midpoint of the runway about 50 feet above the ground and still fast, he commented to a friend "...this would be a good time for a go around." The airport employee estimated the airplane touched down about 1,000 feet before the departure end of the runway, then veered off the left side of the runway and nosed down. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N65490](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N65490-2021-07-03), registration cancelled 2021-07-03, S/N 17275763, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17275763 - Airframe hours: 5043 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Tradewinds Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, March 14, 1995, 6 hours before - Departed: PTK, PONTIAC, MI - Airport: AMN, Gratiot Community, runway 9, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 892 total, 247 in this make and model, 708 as pilot in command, 130 in the last 90 days, 54 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 19950316004869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950316004869A), Mar 16, 1995: Cessna 172P, Alma, MI, Substantial damage. IFR student landed last third runway. Veered off side trying to avoid overrun. CFI blamed brake defect. None found. 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.