# NTSB ERA14LA448: Cessna 172M, N13394, Leesburg, FL, September 19, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 19, 2014, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Leesburg, FL - Coordinates: 28.822778, -81.808334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8228&lon=-81.8083&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 26, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 90121 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14LA448 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90121/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90121 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA448 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and his subsequent loss of directional control during landing on a wet runway for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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 172M, 59 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 123 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: wet surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified; cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 141 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 61 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting practice touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern. The instructor stated that the runway was wet from rain earlier in the day. During the fifth landing, the student landed the airplane right of the runway centerline. The flight instructor described the landing as "soft" and "slow." The student applied left rudder to steer the airplane back toward the centerline, but the airplane continued to drift left. The flight instructor stated that he took the flight controls, applied left rudder, and then applied left brake, but the airplane "did not respond." The airplane subsequently ran off the left side of the runway, impacted a sign, and came to rest upright about 250 ft past the runway edge. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the firewall sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the landing gear, wheels, brakes, rudder controls, and nosewheel steering revealed no anomalies. ## Factual narrative On September 19, 2014, about 1100 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N13394, was substantially damaged during a runway excursion while landing at Leesburg International Airport (LEE), Leesburg, Florida. The flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight, which was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The CFI and student were conducting touch-and-go landings in the airport traffic pattern. During the fifth landing of the day, the student pilot landed right of the runway centerline. The CFI described the landing as "soft" and stated that the airplane's speed at touchdown was "slow." The student applied left rudder to steer the airplane back to the runway centerline; however, it continued to drift left. The CFI assumed control of the airplane and applied right rudder, which he said "had no effect," then applied right brake. He stated that the airplane "did not respond," and continued off the left side of the runway, where it impacted a sign and eventually came to rest upright in the grass. The CFI stated that it had rained earlier in the day, and the runway was wet at the time of the accident. The airplane was examined after the accident by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. According to the inspector, the left main landing gear had collapsed aft, and the left portion of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator were substantially damaged. There were no tire skid marks observed on the runway; however, tire tracks were evident in the grass leading from the runway to where the airplane came to rest, for a distance of about 250 feet. Examination of the landing gear revealed that all three tires were inflated properly, and turned freely when rotated. Rudder control system continuity was established from the cockpit to the rudder, with no anomalies noted. Examination of the nose landing gear revealed that both steering rods remained attached to the nose wheel yoke. Examination of the brakes revealed no anomalies. The CFI held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine land, rotorcraft-helicopter, and instrument airplane and helicopter; and a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine. His most recent FAA first class medical certificate was issued in May, 2011. He reported 413 total hours of flight experience, of which 120 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. The airplane was manufactured in 1973, and had accumulated 5,848.2 total hours at the time of its most recent 100-hour inspection on July 23, 2014. The 1053 weather observation at LEE included wind from 60 degrees at 5 knots, an overcast cloud layer at 11,000 feet, temperature 27 degrees C, dew point 23 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.01 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N13394](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N13394), registered now, S/N 17262725, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M (M) - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17262725 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 5848.2 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Apopka Aviation & Flight Services - Registered owner: Monte & Co LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 23, 2014 - Departed: X04, Apopka, FL - Destination: LEE, Leesburg, FL - Airport: LEE, Leesburg International, runway 13, 6,300 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 36; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 413 total, 120 in this make and model, 325 as pilot in command, 75 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; student; seat: left; flight hours: 20 total, 20 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: KLEE ## 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 20140919018779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140919018779A), Sep 19, 2014: Cessna 172M, Leesburg, FL, Substantial damage. Following landing on runway 13 at Leesburg airport (klee), the student pilot applied slight right pressure on the left rudder peddle to return the aircraft… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 13, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90121. 5.7 MB in all. - Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector’s Statement (item 1, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40423418&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Inspector%E2%80%99s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photo 1 – Airplane as it came to rest (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40423419&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20Airplane%20as%20it%20came%20to%20rest%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF - Photo 2 – Damage to empennage (item 3, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40423420&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20%E2%80%93%20Damage%20to%20empennage-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.