# NTSB ERA15CA033: Cessna 172M, N1533V, Apopka, FL, October 24, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 24, 2014, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC) - Place: Apopka, FL - Coordinates: 28.749864, -81.489669 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7499&lon=-81.4897&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 9, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 90326 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15CA033 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90326/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90326 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA033 ## Probable cause The student pilots improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing and loss of aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial actions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed 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) - [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-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); 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) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the flight instructor, the student pilot was conducting touch and go landings. During an approach to land the stall warning horn sounded and the flight instructor told the student pilot to lower the nose of the airplane. As the airplane touched down it made a sharp turn to the right and the flight instructor announced "my controls" to the student pilot. The airplane "bounced" and contacted the grass to the right of the runway. The student pilot relinquished the flight controls to the flight instructor, who attempted to regain control of the airplane and conduct a go-around. The attempt was unsuccessful; the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, traveled down an embankment and collided with a hangar, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and the right wing. Neither the flight instructor nor the student pilot reported any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident. ## Factual narrative According to the flight instructor, the student pilot was conducting touch and go landings. During an approach to land the stall warning horn sounded and the flight instructor told the student pilot to lower the nose of the airplane. As the airplane touched down it made a sharp turn to the right and the flight instructor announced "my controls" to the student pilot. The airplane "bounced" and contacted the grass to the right of the runway. The student pilot relinquished the flight controls to the flight instructor, who attempted to regain control of the airplane and conduct a go-around. The attempt was unsuccessful; the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, traveled down an embankment and collided with a hangar, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and the right wing. Neither the flight instructor nor the student pilot reported any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1533V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1533V-2018-05-03), registration cancelled 2018-05-03, S/N 17263649, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - 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: 17263649 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 7747 - Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Apoka Aviation and Flight Services - Registered owner: Monte & Co LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 12, 2014, 811 hours before - Departed: X04, Apoka, FL - Destination: X04, Apoka, FL - Airport: X04, Orlando Apopka Airport, runway 33, 3,987 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 56; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 9, 2014; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,857.5 total, 539.7 in this make and model, 2,586.5 as pilot in command, 21.3 in the last 90 days, 7.3 in the last 30 days, 1.2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 63; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 100 total, 100 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: LEE, 14 nm away ## 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 20141024018939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141024018939A), Oct 24, 2014: Cessna 172M, Apopka, FL, Substantial damage. On October 24, 2014, aviation safety inspectors (ASI) mark laughridge and I were assigned by front line manager james reedy to investigate a non-fatal accident… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 3, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90326. 6.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40427316&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilots and Witness statements (item 2, .PDF, 526 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40427317&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilots%20and%20Witness%20statements-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 – View of fuselage damage left side (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40427318&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20fuselage%20damage%20left%20side%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF - Photo 2 – View of right wing root damage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40427319&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20right%20wing%20root%20damage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-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.