- Date
- July 11, 1996, 10:40 local (14:40 UTC)
- Place
- Vicksburg, MI
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7545GCessna 172L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960711016679A
- Case key
- 10305
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 pilot's premature raising of the flaps during a go-around. The presence of birds was a factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, prior to landing, he over flew the runway to check for deer, geese, and sand hill cranes which are 'common around this airport.' During landing, he touched down at approximately 40 miles per hour. As the nose gear touched the runway he saw four sand hill cranes 20 to 30 feet in front of him. He applied full power and pulled back on the yolk. The airplane was 'mushing, nose up, in the air. The pilot was 'retracting the flaps and pushing forward on the yolk to get the nose down.' The airplane impacted the terrain left of the runway on the left main landing gear, then the right main, then the nose gear. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage.
Factual narrative
On July 11, 1996, at 1040 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172L, N7545G, sustained substantial damage when it descended and impacted terrain during an attempted go around at a private airstrip in Vicksburg, Michigan. The private pilot and three passengers reported no injuries. The personal, 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Jackson, Michigan about 1000 with a planned destination of Vicksburg, Michigan.
The pilot reported that, prior to landing, he over flew the runway to check for deer, geese, and sand hill cranes which are "common around this airport." During landing, he touched down at approximately 40 miles per hour. As the nose gear touched the runway he saw four sand hill cranes 20 to 30 feet in front of him. He applied full power and pulled back on the yolk. The airplane was "mushing, nose up, in the air. The pilot was "retracting the flaps and pushing forward on the yolk to get the nose down." The airplane impacted the terrain left of the runway on the left main landing gear, then the right main, then the nose gear. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7545G
- Reported as
- Cessna 172L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17259245
- Airframe hours
- 6,310
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Victor C. Schroeder
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1996 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- JXN · Jackson, MI
- Airport
- Thrall Lake, runway 31, 1,700 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,526 total · 255 in this make and model · 1,505 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.