# NTSB ERA22LA267: Cessna 172, N78755, Bluffton, OH, June 13, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 13, 2022, 17:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place: Bluffton, OH · airport location
- Coordinates: 40.885444, -83.868639 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8854&lon=-83.8686&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241)
- 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): 105254
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA267
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105254/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105254
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA267

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s loss of control during climb after an aborted landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

## 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 172K, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On the day of the accident, the student pilot performed four takeoffs and landings with his flight instructor before he was cleared by the instructor for his second solo traffic pattern flight. The student pilot reported that upon touching down on the third solo landing the airplane was blown across the runway by a sudden crosswind, and he decided to abort the landing. The student pilot described that after applying full power and beginning to climb the airplane encountered an aerodynamic stall. Airport surveillance video confirmed that during the climb, the airplane was in a nose high pitch attitude and at relatively slow ground speed before it descended to the ground in a left turn. The airplane impacted a field to the left of the runway resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings and the vertical stabilizer. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N78755](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N78755-2023-05-24), registration cancelled 2023-05-24, S/N 17257747, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (K)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (registry code 2072430) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17257747
- Year built: 1968
- Airframe hours: 4983
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 25, 2022
- Airport: 5G7, Bluffton, runway 23, 4,126 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 48; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3, unknown; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 20 total, 20 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observed at: FDY, 12 nm away
- METAR: KFDY 132153Z AUTO 20007KT 10SM CLR 32/21 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP114 T03220206

## 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 20220613012729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220613012729A), Jun 13, 2022: Cessna 172K, Bluffton, OH, Substantial damage. Upon landing runway 23 at Bluffton airport 5G7 PIC student pilot intiated a go around became airbourne and turning left and crashing in a soybean field…

## Other investigations on N78755 (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 CHI71DEI50](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI71DEI50), Apr 6, 1971: Cessna 172 (N78755), Cleveland, OH, substantial damage

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 24, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105254. 22.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15145707&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-01%20NTSB%20form%206120%20ERA22LA267_print_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Additional 6120 information from pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 189 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15145157&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-02%20%20MFR%20-%20Additional%20Information%20from%20Pilot_ERA22LA267-Rel.pdf
- Pilot and instructor statements (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 655 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15145839&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-04%20Pilot%20and%20Instructor%20Statements_print_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - information from FAA inspector (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 198 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15145717&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-05%20%20MFR%20-%20Information%20from%20FAA%20Inspector_ERA22LA267-Rel.pdf
- Airport security video (item 5, MP4, 16.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15145167&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=06_02_airport_security_video_ERA22LA267-Rel.mp4
- Investigative photographs (item 6, PDF, 5 pages, 5 photos, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15145487&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06-01-%20photo%20array_ERA22LA67-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.

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