FTW98LA041

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172P · Tooele, UT · November 1, 1997

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
November 1, 1997, 10:55 local (17:55 UTC)
Place
Tooele, UT
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N96575Cessna 172P
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 26, 1998
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19971101047989A
Case key
20478

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane, while landing. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's improper flare for landing, his delay in attempting to go around (abort the landing), and the encounter with a runway marker and a fence.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding
Flare - improperPilot in commandFactor
Recovery from bounced landing - improperPilot in commandCause
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Aborted landing - delayedPilot in commandFactor
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - airport sign/markerFactor
Object - fenceFactor

Analysis

The student pilot had planned to practice stop-and-go landings on runway 34. He said the airplane touched down on all three wheels simultaneously, because he did not flare sufficiently. The left main and nose wheel came up, but instead of going around, he pushed the nose down. The airplane began to veer to the left, and the student corrected by applying right rudder. When the left main wheel contacted the runway, the airplane veered further to the left. The student applied additional right rudder retracted the flaps and added power to abort the landing. As the airplane departed the left side of the runway, the student closed the throttle and applied brakes. The left wing struck a 3,000-foot marker sign, and the airplane collided with a fence.

Factual narrative

On November 1, 1997, approximately 1055 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172P, N96575, owned by Flightech LLC, which was leased back by Great Western Aviation, was substantially damaged when it collided with a sign and a fence during takeoff at Tooele, Utah. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The Flight originated at Salt Lake City, Utah, at 0950.

The student pilot had planned to practice unsupervised stop and go landings on runway 34. He said the airplane touched down on all three wheels simultaneously because he did not flare sufficiently. The left main and nose wheel came up but instead of going around, he pushed the nose down. The airplane began to veer to the left and he corrected by applying right rudder. When the left main wheel contacted the runway, the airplane veered further to the left. The pilot applied additional right rudder retracted the flaps, and added power to abort the landing. As the airplane departed the left side of the runway, the pilot closed the throttle and applied brakes. The left wing struck the 3,000-foot marker sign and the airplane collided with a fence.

Aircraft

Registration
N96575
Reported as
Cessna 172P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17276089
Airframe hours
7,176
Engine
Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Great Western Aviation
Registered owner
Flightech, LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · October 29, 1997 · 30 hours before
Departed
SLC · Salt Lake City, UT
Destination
TVY
Airport
TVY · Bolinder Field, runway 34, 5,498 × 75 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
19
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
30 total · 30 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
310° at 5 knots
Visibility
40 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
64 °F, dew point 39 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.