# NTSB ERA24LA231: Cessna 172S, N1254D, Pierson, FL, May 26, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 26, 2024, 19:47 local (23:47 UTC) - Place: Pierson, FL · On Airport - Coordinates: 29, -81 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0000&lon=-81.0000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - 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): 194315 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA231 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194315/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194315 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA231 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point during a precautionary landing, which resulted in a runway excursion during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 206 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072439), [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-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot and the flight instructor had been practicing emergency engine-out procedures in preparation for the private pilot’s commercial checkride. The pilot stated that he just completed the emergency procedure for a simulated engine fire, which evolved into a simulated loss of engine power. He entered a steep spiral over the airport from 2,500 ft mean sea level (msl) to lose altitude and entered the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern at 1,200 ft msl. The private pilot said that while turning from downwind to base, the flight instructor suddenly took control of the airplane because the engine oil temperature annunciator illuminated. The flight instructor made a sharp turn onto final approach and declared an emergency. The airplane was high, so the flight instructor extended the flaps and performed a maximum forward slip to lose altitude. The airplane touched down more than halfway down the 2,600-ft-long turf runway before contacting a ditch, and then nosed over. The airplane’s vertical stabilizer/rudder and a wing strut were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot said the engine never lost power and was operating right up until impact. The flight instructor said he had experienced an emergency about three months prior to the accident due to a cracked engine case, during which the engine was loud and would vibrate when he applied full power. He said he did not want to add power to go-around because he was concerned that he was dealing with similar scenario or that the engine would catch fire due to the high oil temperature. A postaccident test-run of the engine was conducted utilizing the airplane’s existing fuel and oil systems. The engine started immediately, and all engine parameters were normal. A separate functional test of the oil temperature probe revealed that it operated within normal range. No mechanical deficiencies were noted with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. According to flight data downloaded from the airplane’s digital avionics, each time the throttle was decreased to idle while performing the engine out simulations, there was a progressive increase in oil temperature. As such, it is most likely that the engine did not have time to cool down in between each engine-out simulation and the oil temperature gradually increased until the annunciator came on. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1254D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1254D), registered now, S/N 172S10127, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S10127 - Year built: 2006 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Phoenix East Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 2J8, Pierson Muni, runway 05/23, 2,600 × 200 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: minor; flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 22, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 527 total, 448 as pilot in command, 189 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 19; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 26, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 284 total, 284 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 100° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: DED, 14 nm away - METAR: KDED 262355Z AUTO 10007KT 10SM CLR 30/22 A2992 ## FAA reports on this event (2) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20240526005029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240526005029A), May 26, 2024: Cessna 172S, Pierson, FL, Substantial damage. It was stated by the student pilot that him and his instructor were working on commercial asel maneuvers. The flight departed from daytona beach international… - [Accident 20240526009849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240526009849A), May 26, 2024: Cessna 172S, Pierson, FL, Substantial damage. Instructor was training power off emergency approaches with student. Power actuall failed to return when throttle was increased. Student did not properly react… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194315. 12.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 8.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17903564&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Final_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Written statement - private pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17905208&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Written%20Statement%20-%20Private%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Investigation photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 324 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17904865&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photos-Rel.pdf - NTSB mor - FAA (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18152947&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20ROC%20-%20FAA-Rel.pdf - G1000 raw data (item 5, CSV, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18152911&FileExtension=csv&FileName=log_240526_151923_KOMN%20(Crash)-Rel.csv 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.