- Date
- April 10, 2011, 11:35 local (15:35 UTC)
- Place
- Millville, NJ
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6338FCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110410004919A
- Case key
- 78830
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 improper recovery from a bounced landing which resulted in a loss of aircraft control during the go-around.
Findings · 3
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 pilot was on a flight with two other pilot-rated passengers, practicing a no flap landing. He flared the airplane about half-way down the runway, it bounced, and then pitched up, drifted to the left, and the tail tie-down contacted the runway. The pilot relinquished the controls, and the pilot-rated passenger in the right front seat took control of the airplane. He lowered the pitch, and added full power to perform a go around. During the go-around, as the airplane climbed, it continued to the left, and the left horizontal stabilizer impacted an airport sign, separating the left elevator from the airplane. The pilot-rated passenger continued the climb and landed uneventfully. The left horizontal stabilizer, left elevator, and rudder were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot-in-command, along with two other pilot-rated passengers, was practicing a no flap landing. The pilot in command began to flare the airplane about half-way down the runway, bounced, and then pitched the airplane up. The airplane drifted to the left, while the tail tie-down contacted the runway. The pilot-rated passenger in the right front seat took control of the airplane, lowered the pitch, and added full power in an attempt to go around. As the airplane climbed, it continued to the left, and the left horizontal stabilizer impacted an airport sign, separating the left elevator from the airplane. The pilot-rated passenger in the right seat continued the climb and returned to land uneventfully. The left horizontal stabilizer, left elevator, and rudder were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot-in-command reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6338F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273195
- Airframe hours
- 11,707
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Paramus Flying Club Inc
- Registered owner
- Paramus Flying Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 7, 2010
- Departed
- LDJ · Linden, NJ
- Destination
- MIV · Millville, NJ
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MIV · Millville Municipal Airport, runway 10, 6,002 × 150 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 22, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 82 total · 29 in this make and model · 34 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 26, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 911 total · 250 in this make and model · 766 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- MIV
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 25, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 MB 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.
Other investigations on N6338F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.