- Date
- November 11, 2008, 11:32 local (16:32 UTC)
- Place
- Groton, CT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N91HFCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081111853259A
- Case key
- 69426
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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During landing of the Cessna 172R, the student pilot reduced the power to begin the flare. The airplane ballooned and the pilot added “a little power” to prevent a hard landing. Once on the runway, the pilot applied the brakes to slow the airplane. The airplane turned left, approximately 45 degrees from center line. The pilot reported he applied full brakes and attempted to return the airplane back toward the runway's centerline, but the airplane did not respond and continued to veer towards the edge of the runway. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, impacting some runway signs and markers. The right wheel strut failed, dropping the airplane's right side and pivoting the airplane's tail. The airplane came to rest on the runway, facing back toward the direction of travel. In the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 submitted by the pilot, "No" was checked for "Was there a Mechanical Malfunction/Failure."
Factual narrative
During landing of the Cessna 172R, the student pilot reduced the power to begin the flare. The airplane ballooned and the pilot added “a little power” to prevent a hard landing. Once on the runway, the pilot applied the brakes to slow the airplane. The airplane turned left, approximately 45 degrees from center line. The pilot reported he applied full brakes and attempted to return the airplane back toward the runway’s centerline, but the airplane did not respond and continued to veer towards the edge of the runway. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, impacting some runway signs and markers. The right wheel strut failed, dropping the airplanes right side and pivoting the airplane’s tail. The airplane came to rest on the runway, facing back toward the direction of travel. In the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 submitted by the pilot, "No" was checked for "Was there a Mechanical Malfunction/Failure."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N91HF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (R)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17280067
- Airframe hours
- 6,648
- Engine
- Lycoming IO360, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Heritage Flight Academy, LLC
- Registered owner
- Heritage Asset Leasing, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 30, 2008
- Departed
- ISP · Islip, NY
- Destination
- GON · Groton, CT
- Airport
- GON · Groton-New London Airport, runway 33, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 54 total · 54 in this make and model · 6 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- GON
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.