# NTSB ERA21LA168: Cessna 172, N13632, Crystal River, FL, March 31, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 31, 2021, 12:13 local (16:13 UTC) - Place: Crystal River, FL - Coordinates: 28.867427, -82.57118 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8674&lon=-82.5712&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: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - 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): 102847 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA168 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102847/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102847 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA168 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s inadequate compensation for a crosswind during landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a runway excursion. ## 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 · 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) ## 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 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: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was conducting a solo cross-country training flight, and reported that while touching down on the runway, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left. The pilot attempted to compensate by applying right rudder, but it was not effective. The airplane came to rest on the left side of the runway, inverted, and sustained substantial damage to the right wing, empennage, and rudder. The pilot was seriously injured. While the pilot initially reported that he thought there might have been an issue with the airplane’s right rudder not functioning properly, he later stated that the airplane was functioning as designed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N13632](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N13632-2021-12-04), registration cancelled 2021-12-04, S/N 17262893, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (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: 17262893 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 6033 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2J 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Aviation One - Registered owner: Aom Aircraft LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 13, 2021 - Departed: ORL, Orlando, FL - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: CGC, Crystal River-Capt Tom Davis Fld, runway 27, 4,557 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 74; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 150 total, 150 in this make and model, 6 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,800 ft broken - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: CGC - METAR: KCGC 311615Z AUTO 25007KT 10SM SCT039 BKN048 BKN050 29/19 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 20210331004619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210331004619A), Mar 31, 2021: Cessna 172M, Crystal River, FL, Substantial damage. Student pilot on first solo cross country flight made an inadvertent attempt to land downwind at an uncontrolled airport. The aircraft bounced coming down on… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102847. 16.5 MB in all. - Operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12501329&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_Operator_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 4.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12500424&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - additional information for NTSB form 6120_pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 163 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12501578&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record-Additional%206120%20info-Rel.pdf - Certified flight instructor - statement (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 167 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12501234&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record-CFI%20statement_Smith_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA statement (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 156 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12516482&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record-FAA%20Email_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Cessna illustrated parts catalog - model 172 rudder control system (item 6, PDF, 15 pages, 7.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12501495&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Rudder%20control%20system-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 656 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12501224&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs%20-%20ERA21LA168-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12212665&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA21LA168_Wreckage%20Release_N13632_Redacted-Rel.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.