# NTSB DEN05LA037: Cessna 172P, N54165, Loveland, CO, November 16, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 16, 2004, 12:45 local (19:45 UTC) - Place: Loveland, CO - Coordinates: 40.451667, -105.011665 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4517&lon=-105.0117&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 60726 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05LA037 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60726/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA037 ## Probable cause the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and the student pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and decision making. Contributing factors include the quartering tail wind, the high airspeed, and the airport sign. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - high, pilot in command (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - airport sign/marker (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The student stated that he was landing on runway 33. As he touched down, "the nose of the [air]plane was pointed to the right side of the runway" and his airspeed was high. He attempted to correct with rudder; however, the airplane departed the runway to the right, impacted an airport sign and continued across an adjacent taxiway. The airplane was substantially damaged. A postaccident examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. The aviation routine weather (METAR) reported the winds at the time of the accident as 130 degrees at 8 knots. ## Factual narrative On November 16, 2004, approximately 1245 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172P, N54165, piloted by a student pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted a sign during the landing roll at Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (FNL), Loveland, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The solo instructional flight was being conducted on a visual flight rules flight plan under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported no injuries. The cross-country flight originated in Colorado Springs, Colorado, approximately 1200 and the pilot had performed a touch and go landing at Jefferson County Airport (BJC), Broomfield, Colorado. According to the accident report submitted by the student, he was landing on runway 33. The student stated that as he touched down, "the nose of the [air]plane was pointed to the right side of the runway" and his airspeed was high. He attempted to correct with rudder; however, the airplane departed the runway to the right, impacted an airport sign and continued across an adjacent taxiway. The left main landing gear collapsed inward, the rear horizontal spar was bent midspan, and two ribs in the left wing had 3 inch lacerations. A postaccident examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. The FNL aviation routine weather (METAR) reported the winds at the time of the accident as 130 degrees at 8 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N54165](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N54165), registered now, S/N 17274897, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172P - 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: 17274897 - Airframe hours: 9333.3 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Fandango Flying LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 11, 2004, 35.8 hours before - Departed: BJC, DENVER, CO - Destination: COS, Colorado Spring, CO - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: FNL, Fort Collins-Loveland Muni, runway 33, 8,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 25; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3; seat: left; flight hours: 42 total, 42 in this make and model, 5 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: FNL, 1 nm away ## 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 20041116034229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041116034229A), Nov 16, 2004: Cessna 172P, Fort Collins, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Loss of directional control upon landing on pilot's second solo cross country flight. Aircraft left the paved runway and sustained substantial damage… 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.