# NTSB CHI99LA103: Cessna 172R, N983AV, Battle Creek, MI, March 10, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 10, 1999, 13:11 local (18:11 UTC) - Place: Battle Creek, MI - Coordinates: 42.290222, -85.220054 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2902&lon=-85.2201&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): 45909 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI99LA103 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45909/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA103 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare and failure to maintain directional control. Related factors were the snowbank and lack of total experience. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - 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) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot stated that during the flare/touchdown she experienced, '... a little bit of turbulence... . ' She reported that two or three seconds after touchdown the airplane started to slide to the left. The pilot stated that she applied full right rudder to compensate for the drift, but the aircraft continued to slide. The pilot reported that the aircraft impacted a snowbank, on the left side of the runway, and the aircraft came to rest in an upright orientation. Examination of the runway showed a series of propeller impact marks along the centerline of the runway. Inspection of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the airframe, flight controls, or engine. The pilot had a total time of 15.1 hours, with 14.6 hours as dual instruction and .5 hours as pilot-in-command. ## Factual narrative On March 10, 1999, at 1311 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172R, N983AV, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage after a hard landing, loss of control, and collision with a snowbank during landing roll on Runway 05 (10,003 feet by 150 feet, snow covered/asphalt) at 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 departed W.K. Kellogg Airport approximately 1305 for the local flight. According to the pilot's written statement, the pilot flared the airplane, experienced, "... a little bit of turbulence...," and landed the airplane. The pilot reported that two or three seconds after touchdown the airplane started to slide to the left. The pilot stated that she applied full right rudder to compensate for the drift but the aircraft continued to slide. The pilot reported that the aircraft impacted a snowbank, on the left side of the runway, and the aircraft came to rest in an upright orientation. Examination of the runway showed a series of propeller impact marks along the centerline of the runway. Inspection of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the airframe, flight controls, or engine. The propeller blades exhibited leading edge gouges and scratching in the plane of rotation. The pilot had a total time of 15.1 hours, of which 14.6 hours were dual instruction and .5 hours were pilot-in-command. The accident flight was the pilot's third solo flight. The pilot had logged two dual instructional flights and two solo flights within the previous week. The two dual instructional flights were 0.3 hours and 0.2 hours in duration, and the two solo flights were also 0.3 and 0.2 hours in duration. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N983AV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N983AV-2007-04-19), registration cancelled 2007-04-19, S/N 17280575, 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: 17280575 - Airframe hours: 252 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Western Michigan University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 8, 1999, 4 hours before - Departed: BTL - Airport: BTL, W K Kellogg Airport, runway 5, 10,003 × 150 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, 1 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 16 °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 19990310018389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990310018389A), Mar 10, 1999: Cessna 172R, Battle Creek, MI, Substantial damage. (.19) On March 10, 1999, at 1311 eastern standard time (EST), a Cessna 172R, N989AV, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage after a hard… 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.