# NTSB ERA21LA090: Cessna 172, N75825, Locust Grove, GA, December 26, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: December 26, 2020, 17:39 local (22:39 UTC)
- Place: Locust Grove, GA
- Coordinates: 33.364091, -84.168888 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3641&lon=-84.1689&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: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 102463
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA090
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102463/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102463
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA090

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent 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 · 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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 46 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: 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-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: 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)

## Analysis

The pilot was landing on the wet, downward sloped turf runway. During the landing the airplane bounced “hard.” The pilot applied the brakes, but the airplane skidded off the wet turf runway and impacted a fence and trees. The airplane’s fuselage and wings were substantially damaged during the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N75825](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N75825), registered now, S/N 17267982, built 1976 (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: 17267982
- Year built: 1976
- Airframe hours: 4393
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Patrick Ronald D
- Registered owner: Patrick Ronald D
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 8, 2020, 6.7 hours before
- Airport: GA04, Mallards Landing, runway 07, 4,500 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 4, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 132 total, 40 in this make and model, 80 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observed at: 6A2, 10 nm away
- METAR: K6A2 262235Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 05/M11 A3014 RMK AO2

## 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 20201226017699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201226017699A), Dec 26, 2020: Cessna 172N, Locust, GA, Destroyed. On December 26, 2020 at approximately 1740 local time an aircraft attempted to land on runway 7 at Mallards Landing the aircraft veered off the left side of…

## Other investigations on N75825 (1)

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.

- [NTSB LAX88LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX88LA056), Nov 25, 1987: Cessna 172N (N75825), Sacramento, CA, substantial damage

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 26, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102463. 23.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 7.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12481819&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-01%20NTSB%20form%206120_print_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - additional information for NTSB form 6120 (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 218 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12480846&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-02%20-%20Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Clarification%20of%20Information%20Provided%20In%20NTSB%20form%206120-Rel.pdf
- Witness statements (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12481649&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-03%20Witness_Statements_print_red_2_redacted_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - conversation with FAA inspector (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 208 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12481829&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-04%20-%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector_ERA21LA090-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 5, PDF, 4 pages, 4 photos, 4.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12480856&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06-01-%20photo%20array_ERA21LA090-Rel.pdf
- Video recording (item 6, MP4, 8.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12481401&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=08-01%20ring_video-Rel.mp4

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.

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