# NTSB CHI99LA091: Cessna 172R, N989AV, Battle Creek, MI, March 10, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 10, 1999, 09:02 local (14:02 UTC) - Place: Battle Creek, MI - Coordinates: 42.309093, -85.110069 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3091&lon=-85.1101&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 13, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 45895 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI99LA091 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45895/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA091 ## Probable cause the loss of directional control by the pilot. Factors to the accident were the lack of total experience of the pilot, the snow covered runway condition, the snowbank, and the flight instructor not verifying the runway snow removal with the Duty Instructor prior to releasing the student pilot for solo operations. ## 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 - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - airport snow removal - not verified, flight instructor(on ground) (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The pilot reported the airplane touchdown a couple of feet left of the centerline. He stated,... 'I immediately noticed that the aircraft was starting to skid to the left. I immediately pushed the right rudder but there seemed to be no response to move it back to the right.' The pilot reported that as the aircraft slid to the left, into the deeper snow, the airplane pivoted to the left, the propeller impacted the snowbank, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted. A witness to the accident described the runway condition as, 'Runway 31 appeared to have been ploughed but was covered in snow with no blacktop [visible].' Inspection of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the airframe, flight controls, or engine. The pilot had a total time of 15.4 hours, of which 13.8 hours were dual instruction and 1.6 hours were pilot-in-command. The accident flight was the pilot's third flight as pilot-in-command. The Duty Instructor for that morning had determined that the runway conditions should be checked before students could solo. The Duty Instructor placed a notification in the dispatch room stating, 'No solos until the runway has been checked.' The student pilot's instructor made the decision not to sign the student off for solo until the runway conditions improved and were checked. Later in the morning, the school's dispatch was notified by an instructor, who was flying in the traffic pattern, that, '...solo operation would not be a problem if one did not lock up the brakes.' The student's flight instructor did not communicate with the Duty Instructor about the runway conditions, and released the student pilot for solo operations. ## Factual narrative On March 10, 1999, at 0902 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172R, N989AV, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage after a loss of control and collision with a snowbank during landing roll on Runway 31 (4,835 feet by 100 feet, snow covered/asphalt) at the W.K. Kellogg Airport, Battle Creek, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The solo instructional flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated at the W.K. Kellogg Airport at approximately 0855 for the local flight. According to the pilot's written statement, the approach to the runway was uneventful and that the airplane touchdown was a couple of feet left of the centerline. The pilot stated that, "I immediately noticed that the aircraft was starting to skid to the left. I immediately pushed the right rudder but there seemed to be no response to move it back to the right." The pilot reported that as the aircraft slid to the left, into the deeper snow, the airplane pivoted to the left, the propeller impacted the snowbank, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted. A witness to the accident described the runway condition as, "Runway 31 appeared to have been ploughed but was covered in snow with no blacktop [visible]." Inspection of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the airframe, flight controls, or engine. The pilot had a total time of 15.4 hours, of which 13.8 hours were dual instruction and 1.6 hours were pilot-in-command. The accident flight was the pilot's third solo flight. According to a written statement provided by the International Pilot Training Centre of Western Michigan University, the Duty Instructor for that morning had determined that the runway conditions should be checked before students could solo. The Duty Instructor placed a notification in the dispatch room stating, "No solos until the runway has been checked." The student pilot's instructor made the decision not to sign the student off for solo until the runway conditions improved and were checked. Later in the morning, the school's dispatch was notified by an instructor, who was flying in the traffic pattern, that, "...solo operation would not be a problem if one did not lock up the brakes." The student's flight instructor did not communicate with the Duty Instructor about the runway conditions, and released the student pilot for solo operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N989AV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N989AV-2009-03-31), registration cancelled 2009-03-31, S/N 17280598, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172R - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17280598 - Airframe hours: 82 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Western Michigan University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Departed: BTL - Airport: BTL, W K Kellogg, runway 31, 4,835 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 19; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 21 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BTL ## 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 19990310018399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990310018399A), Mar 10, 1999: Cessna 172R, Battle Creek, MI, Substantial damage. (.19) On March 10, 1999, at 0902 eastern standard time (EST), a Cessna 172R, N989AV, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage after a loss of… 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.