- Date
- February 16, 2009, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Reidsville, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9289HCessna 172
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090216005139A
- Case key
- 73394
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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during an attempted recovery from a stall/spin.
Findings · 5
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
The airplane inadvertently entered a spin during recovery from a practice power-off stall, with 30 degrees of flaps deployed. The pilot stated that during the recovery of the practice stall he applied, "full power and nose level...the airplane went sideways and started spinning downwards." The pilot did not immediately reduce power, and the airplane's speed increased as it descended. He reported that upon recovering from the spin, the airspeed was over 120 knots; however, the airplane's maximum airspeed with flaps extended was 85 knots. The pilot subsequently retracted the flaps and heard a "creaking noise." Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed that the wings and flaps were damaged.
Factual narrative
The Cessna 172M inadvertently entered a spin during recovery from a practice power-off stall, with 30 degrees of flaps deployed. The pilot stated that during the recovery of the practice stall he applied, "full power and nose level...the airplane went sideways and started spinning downwards." The pilot did not immediately reduce power, and the airplane's speed increased as it descended. He reported that upon recovering from the spin, the airspeed was over 120 knots; however, the airplane's maximum airspeed with flaps extended was 85 knots. The pilot subsequently retracted the flaps and heard a "creaking noise." Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed that the wings and flaps were substantially damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9289H
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17266070
- Airframe hours
- 11,231.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pegasus Air LLC
- Registered owner
- Pegasus Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 30, 2009
- Departed
- CRG · Jacksonville, FL
- Destination
- TBR · Statesboro, GA
- Airport
- TBR · Statesboro-Bulloch County Arpt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 10, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 58 total · 16 in this make and model · 16 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- TBR, 50 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.
Other investigations on N9289H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.