# NTSB DEN08LA111: Cessna 172R, N5178Y, Tishomingo, OK, June 21, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 21, 2008, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Tishomingo, OK - Coordinates: 34.198612, -96.674446 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1986&lon=-96.6744&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 68294 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN08LA111 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68294/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA111 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in an inadvertent stall during the landing flare. Contributing factors in this accident was the terrain-induced turbulence, and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 75 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md) - [Turbulence: terrain induced turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 70 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot receiving instruction was making a short field landing approach. The approach was "a little high" to clear trees that surrounded the airport. The pilot deployed full flaps, reduced power to 1,500 rpm, and slowed the airplane to 60 knots. Before crossing the tree line near the approach end of the runway, the pilot reduced power to idle. As the airplane approached ground effect regime, they encountered "a small amount of turbulence associated with the wind flowing over the trees." Before the flight instructor could react, they encountered "another small pocket of turbulence" and the airplane stalled. The pilot applied full power, then the flight instructor took control. He leveled the airplane and transitioned to the flare. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear "with force," followed by the nose gear, and bounced. A post-flight inspection after the landing revealed no apparent damage, but later examination by the school's maintenance staff revealed the firewall was wrinkled. ## Factual narrative On June 21, 2008, approximately 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 172R, N5178Y, registered to and operated by Eastern Oklahoma State University and piloted by a private pilot under the supervision of a flight instructor, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Tishomingo Airpark (0F9), Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight instructor and private pilot were not injured. The local flight originated at Eaker Field (DUA), Durant, Oklahoma. approximately 1200. According to the accident report submitted by the flight instructor, the private pilot receiving instruction was making a short field landing approach. The approach was "a little high" to clear trees that surrounded the airport. The pilot deployed full flaps, reduced power to 1,500 rpm, and slowed the airplane to 60 knots. Before crossing the tree line near the approach end of the runway, the pilot reduced power to idle. As the airplane approached ground effect regime, they encountered "a small amount of turbulence associated with the wind flowing over the trees." Before the flight instructor could react, they encountered "another small pocket of turbulence" and the airplane stalled. The pilot applied full power, then the flight instructor took control. He leveled the airplane and transitioned to the flare. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear "with force," followed by the nose gear, and bounced. A post-flight inspection after the landing revealed no apparent damage, but later examination by the school's maintenance staff revealed the firewall was wrinkled. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5178Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5178Y), registered now, S/N 17281099 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172R - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17281099 - Airframe hours: 2449 - Engines: Lycoming IO-369-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Eastern Oklahoma State University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 1, 2008, 18 hours before - Departed: DUA, Durant, OK - Destination: DUA - Airport: 0F9, Tishomingo Airpark, runway 35, 3,100 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 29; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 368 total, 228 in this make and model, 325 as pilot in command, 76 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 20; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 77 total, 19 in this make and model, 38 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: DUA, 21 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 20080621834259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080621834259A), Jun 21, 2008: Cessna 172R, Tishomingo, OK, Substantial damage, 2 fatal. (-23) Pilot stated: that on the second landing of an instructinal flight into Tishomingo Airpark, OK (0F9) on final the airspeed was approximately 60 knots… 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.