- Date
- November 14, 2010, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gaithersburg, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N249ERCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20101114050759A
- Case key
- 77816
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 inadequate use of the rudder, and subsequent loss of directional control.
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
According to the student pilot, he completed a stabilized approach to the runway, with the airspeed 5 knots higher than the prescribed approach speed due to the 8 knot headwind condition. During the landing flare, the airplane encountered a gust of wind, and bounced on the runway. He said he added power to slow the descent, but the airplane ballooned again with some drift to the left. He decided to execute a go around, and as he applied full power without adding rudder, the airplane veered to the left and departed the left side of the runway. He then reduced the power in an attempt to regain directional control of the airplane, but it continued forward until the nose gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest in a grassy area to the left of the runway. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred substantial damage to the firewall and left wing. The student pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The wind reported at the airport about the time of the accident was from 150 degrees at 8 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the student pilot, he completed a "stabilized" approach to runway 14, with the airspeed 5 knots higher than the prescribed approach speed due to the wind conditions. During the landing flare, the pilot "felt wind shear that caused the touchdown,and the airplane ballooned back into the air to about 20 feet." The student pilot then added power to slow the descent, and the airplane "ballooned again with some drift to the left." The student pilot then decided to go around, and as he "applied full power without adding rudder," the airplane veered to the left and departed the left side of the runway. The student pilot then reduced power in an attempt to regain directional control of the airplane, but it continued forward until the nose landing gear collapsed and it came to rest in a grassy area to the left of the runway. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred substantial damage to the firewall and left wing. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 150 degrees at 8 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N249ER
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17269782
- Airframe hours
- 13,026
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- WIFA (Washington International Flight Academy)
- Registered owner
- WIFA (Washington International Flight Academy)
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 19, 2009
- Departed
- FDK · Frederick, MD
- Destination
- GAI · Gaithersburg, MD
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- GAI · Montgomery County Airpark, runway 14, 4,200 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 105 total · 32 in this make and model · 23 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- GAI
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 27, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 879 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.