# NTSB ERA23LA375: Cessna 172, N1451U, Winston-Salem, NC, September 18, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 18, 2023, 09:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place: Winston-Salem, NC
- Coordinates: 36.138127, -80.22637 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1381&lon=-80.2264&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: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 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): 193093
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA375
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193093/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193093
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA375

## Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of directional control upon landing which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer.

## 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 · 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)

## 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); 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: 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)

## Analysis

The solo student pilot reported that during the second solo landing of the day she experienced a slight balloon, and once the airplane settled on the runway it was in a “partial crab to the right.” Upon touching down, she over corrected to the left and the airplane departed the runway surface into the grass. While in the grass the airplane struck a runway sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and the left horizontal stabilizer. The solo student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1451U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1451U-2023-10-28), registration cancelled 2023-10-28, S/N 17267118, built 1976 (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: 17267118
- Year built: 1976
- Airframe hours: 11470.7
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Piedmont Flight Inc
- Registered owner: Piedmont Flight Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 14, 2023, 43.2 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: INT, Smith Reynolds, runway 4, 3,938 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 24 total, 24 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observed at: INT
- METAR: KINT 181254Z 33005KT 10SM CLR 18/13 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP126 T01780133

## 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 20230918015439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230918015439A), Sep 18, 2023: Cessna 172M, Winston Salem, NC, Substantial damage. On 9/18/2023 at 1340Z, a student pilot during a first solo flight lost control of a Cessna 172 after touch down and veered left off of the runway and impacted…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193093. 4.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16135024&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1%20N1451U%2018%20Sept%2023_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� solo student pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16134534&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Student%20Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Flight instructor statement (witness) (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16127887&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- FAA record of visit (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16128937&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Record%20of%20Visit%20N1451U%20accident%20@%20KINT%20-%20Signed-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� FAA operations inspector statement (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 167 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16128640&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA%20Ops%20inspector%20statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 807 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16129224&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA23LA375-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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