- Date
- June 22, 1997, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Grosse Ile, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4491RCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 30, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 10608
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 instructor pilot's inadequate planning/decision, resulting in an inadvertent stall situation.
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
In a statement, the flight instructor (CFI) said he was demonstrating slow flight to the student while flying in ground effect over the runway. He indicated that the flaps were fully extended (40 degrees) and the power was just enough to sustain flying airspeed. At an altitude of approximately 5 feet above ground level (AGL), the left wing dipped. The left wing tip and main gear contacted the runway at which time the airplane sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, his intent was to show the student that the airplane would still be controllable while flying at a slow airspeed in ground effect. The pilot added that during the maneuver, he let the airplane get away from him.
Factual narrative
On June 22, 1997, at 0930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N4491R, operated by a certified flight instructor (CFI) collided with the runway while landing at the Grosse Ile Municipal Airport, Grosse Ile, Michigan. Neither the CFI or student pilot were injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The training flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight originated at 0830 edt.
In a statement, the pilot said he was demonstrating slow flight to the student while flying in ground effect over the runway. He indicated that the flaps were fully extended (40 degrees) and the power was just enough to sustain flying airspeed. At an altitude of approximately 5 feet above ground level (AGL), the left wing dipped. The left wing tip and main gear contacted the runway at which time the airplane sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, his intent was to show the student that the airplane would still be controllable while flying at a slow airspeed in ground effect. The pilot added that during the maneuver he let the airplane get away from him.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4491R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17263233
- Airframe hours
- 4,300
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- William P. Kuehnel
- Registered owner
- James Brissette
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- ONZ
- Destination
- ONZ
- Airport
- ONZ · Grosse Ile, runway 22, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 980 total · 648 in this make and model · 749 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
Other investigations on N4491R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.