# NTSB ERA12CA189: Cessna 172S, N506SP, Caldwell, NJ, February 18, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 18, 2012, 13:17 local (18:17 UTC) - Place: Caldwell, NJ - Coordinates: 40.875278, -74.281387 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8753&lon=-74.2814&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 28, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 82941 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12CA189 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82941/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82941 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA189 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s loss of directional control during a crosswind landing. ## 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 172S, 206 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 66 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 118 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was returning to his home airport following a solo cross-country flight. He obtained the airport's automated weather advisory and learned that the wind was reported to be variable at 6 knots. He subsequently entered the airport traffic pattern and attempted to land the airplane. The pilot was having difficulty with the wind gusts and became uncomfortable as the airplane touched down on the runway, so he aborted the landing. During the second landing attempt, the pilot crabbed the airplane until just before touchdown. Immediately after touchdown, a gust of wind from the right blew the airplane to the left. The pilot "lost control," and the airplane departed the left side of the runway, crossed a grassy area and a taxiway, and struck a taxiway sign. During the collision, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged. The weather conditions reported about 40 minutes after the accident included a 20-degree right quartering headwind at 8 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The student pilot was returning to his home airport following a solo cross country flight. He obtained the airport's automated weather advisory, and learned that the winds were reported to be variable at 6 knots. He subsequently entered the airport traffic pattern and attempted to land the airplane. The pilot was having difficulty with the wind gusts and became uncomfortable as the airplane touched down on the runway, so he aborted the landing. During the second landing attempt, the pilot crabbed the airplane until just before touchdown. Immediately after touchdown, a gust of wind from the right blew the airplane left. The pilot "lost control" and the airplane departed the left side of the runway, crossed a grassy area and a taxiway, and struck a taxiway sign. During the collision the left main landing gear collapsed and the left horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged. The weather conditions reported about 40 minutes after the accident included a 20-degree right quartering headwind at 8 knots. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N506SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N506SP), registered now, S/N 172S8363, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8363 - Airframe hours: 3438 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Century Air, doing business as Century Flight Academy - Registered owner: Over & Over LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 15, 2011 - Departed: RDG, Reading, PA - Destination: CDW, Caldwell, NJ - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: CDW, Essex County Airport, runway 22, 4,552 × 80 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 36 total, 17 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 18 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: CDW ## 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 20120218006599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120218006599A), Feb 18, 2012: Cessna 172S, Fairfield, NJ, Substantial damage. [privacy data omitted] Is a student pilot who was conducting a long cross country solo flight from Essex County Airport (cdw) to sullivan county airport (msv)… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 22, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82941. 5.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 606 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40363511&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 279 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40363514&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 - Airplane From Front (Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40363512&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Airplane%20From%20Front%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Damage to Left Horizontal Stabilizer (Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40363513&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Damage%20to%20Left%20Horizontal%20Stabilizer%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Weather Information (item 5, .PDF, 170 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40363515&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Information-Master.PDF 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.