# NTSB ERA19TA166: Cessna 172, N733UF, New Bern, NC, April 30, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Final report - Date: April 30, 2019, 19:25 local (23:25 UTC) - Place: New Bern, NC - Coordinates: 35.072776, -77.043052 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0728&lon=-77.0431&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: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 99390 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA19TA166 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99390/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99390 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19TA166 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. ## 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 · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 150 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072434), [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 172N, 82 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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 172N, 81 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072434), [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 172N, 81 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072434), [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 172N, 134 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the student pilot’s first solo flight, the airplane veered left after touchdown on the runway. He attempted to correct with right rudder and left aileron; however, the airplane traveled into the grass off the left side of the runway and struck a ditch before coming to rest upright. The airplane sustained damage to the right horizontal stabilizer, engine mount, and firewall. The student reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On April 30, 2019, about 1925 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N733UF, was substantially damaged while landing at Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN), New Bern, North Carolina. The student pilot incurred minor injuries. The local solo instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed EWN about 1920. The student pilot reported that during his first solo flight, the airplane veered left after touchdown on runway 22. He attempted to correct with right rudder and left aileron; however, the airplane travelled into the grass off the left side of the runway and struck a ditch, before coming to rest upright. The student pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the right horizontal stabilizer, engine mount, and firewall. The recorded weather at EWN, at 1925, included wind from 190° at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles and sky clear. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N733UF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N733UF), registered now, S/N 17268553, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (N) - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17268553 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 14998 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Tradewind Flight Services Inc - Registered owner: Tradewind Aviation Aircraft Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 2, 2019, 86 hours before - Departed: EWN, New Bern, NC - Destination: EWN, New Bern, NC - Airport: EWN, Coastal Carolina Regional, runway 22, 6,453 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 25; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 47 total, 47 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Observed at: EWN ## 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 20190430010979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190430010979A), Apr 30, 2019: Cessna 172N, New Bern, NC, Substantial damage. A student pilot, on his first solo landing, veered off of the runway into the grass and a ditch. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99390. 2.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473471&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Interview Summary (item 2, .PDF, 51 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473472&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview%20Summary-Master.PDF - Photo (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 177 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473473&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-Master.PDF - Weather Report (item 4, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473474&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report-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.