ERA13CA016

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172P · Cedar Key, FL · October 8, 2012

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
October 8, 2012, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
Place
Cedar Key, FL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N97757Cessna 172P
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 13, 2013
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA\FSDO
FAA report
20121008023179A
Case key
85300

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in a runway excursion.

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.

Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide pathAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedAll aircraft: 809 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

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 reported that the airplane was too high during his first approach to the 2,355-foot-long asphalt runway, so he performed a go-around. During his second approach, the airplane touched down normally; however, the pilot was not able to stop the airplane before the end of the runway. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway about 100 feet before the end and came to rest, nose down, in a marshy area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its nose gear and firewall. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the tire marks on the runway, which were continuous and began about 600 feet before the departure end of the runway and then veered off the left side of the runway, it is likely that the pilot landed long on the relatively short runway and was unable to stop the airplane on the remaining pavement.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane was too high during his first approach to the 2,355-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway, and he performed a go-around. During his second approach, the airplane touched down normally; however, he was not able to stop before the end of the runway. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, about 100-feet prior to the end and came to rest in a marsh area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its nose gear and firewall. Examination of the airplane, which included an examination of the left and right brakes by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Tire marks which corresponded to the airplane were observed to begin at a point that was about 600 feet prior to the end of the runway.

Aircraft

Registration
N97757
Reported as
Cessna 172P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17276227
Airframe hours
3,631
Engine
Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Ultimate Air Academy
Registered owner
Ultimate Air Academy
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 24, 2012
Departed
28J · Palatka, FL
Destination
CDK · Cedar Key, FL
Airport
CDK · Cedar Key, runway 23, 2,355 × 100 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
19
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 1
Last flight review
August 17, 2011
Seat
Left
Flight hours
131 total · 40 in this make and model · 56 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
130° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 73 °F
Altimeter
30.03 inHg
Observed at
CTY, 30 nm away

Docket · 5

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 4, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.6 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.