# NTSB GAA15CA030: Cessna R172E, N7889N, Fort Meade, MD, March 26, 2015

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: March 26, 2015, 16:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place: Fort Meade, MD
- Coordinates: 39.085556, -76.765274 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0856&lon=-76.7653&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: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 29, 2015
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 90969
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA030
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90969/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90969
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA030

## Probable cause

The flight instructor's decision to land the airplane without sufficient runway to stop, resulting in a runway excursion and substantial damage to the right wing of the airplane.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/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 R172E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Aircraft capability: landing distance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061030): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061030/cases.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 68 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061030/cases.md)
- [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 267 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/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 R172E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna R172E, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072413), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor, while giving instruction, stated he landed the tricycle landing gear equipped airplane at midfield in wind conditions that were reported from the SSW gusting to 23knots. Following a runway excursion on to soft terrain, the pilot said the airplane had come to a stop, undamaged, when "the nose wheel sank and the right wingtip contacted the dirt." Witnesses reported that the airplane touched down midfield, braked hard, and did not come to a complete stop prior to the airplanes right wing striking the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to flight that would have prevented normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The flight instructor, while giving instruction, stated he landed the tricycle landing gear equipped airplane at midfield in wind conditions that were reported from the SSW gusting to 23knots. Following a runway excursion on to soft terrain, the pilot said the airplane had come to a stop, undamaged, when "the nose wheel sank and the right wingtip contacted the dirt." Witnesses reported that the airplane touched down midfield, braked hard, and did not come to a complete stop prior to the airplanes right wing striking the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to flight that would have prevented normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7889N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7889N), registered now, S/N R172-0280 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA R172E (E)
- Registry model: [Cessna R172E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172e) (registry code 2072413) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: R172-0280
- Year built: 1967
- Airframe hours: 19375
- Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-360 SER 210 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: United States Air Force Owner, doing business as Fort Meade Flying Activity
- Registered owner: United States Air Force Owner
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, November 26, 2014, 73 hours before
- Departed: KFME, Fort Meade, MD
- Destination: KFME, Fort Meade, MD
- Flight plan: VFR/IFR
- Airport: KFME, Tipton, runway 28, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 68; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 14, 2014; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 2,800 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; age 59; injuries: none; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 7 total, 5 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observed at: BWI, 7 nm away

## 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 20150326004519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150326004519A), Mar 26, 2015: Cessna R172E, Ft. Meade, MD, Substantial damage. On March 29, 2015, at approximately 16:40 local, aircraft N7889N, a Cessna 172, landed on runway 28 at fme. Piloting the airplane was [privacy data omitted], a…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 20, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90969. 8.7 MB in all.

- Memorandum For Record - FAA Inspector (Hunte) (item 1, .PDF, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429443&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20For%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Inspector%20(Hunte)-Master.PDF
- Memorandum For Record - Pilot Conversation (Williamson) (item 2, .PDF, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429444&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20For%20Record%20-%20Pilot%20Conversation%20(Williamson)-Master.PDF
- Memorandum For Record - Follow Up Fort Meade Flying Activity (FMFA) (item 3, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429445&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20For%20Record%20-%20Follow%20Up%20Fort%20Meade%20Flying%20Activity%20(FMFA)-Master.PDF
- Memorandum For Record - Weather (KBWI) (item 4, .PDF, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429446&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20For%20Record%20-%20Weather%20(KBWI)-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 - Right Wing (Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429447&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Right%20Wing%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Inboard Right Wing (Courtesy of FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429448&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Inboard%20Right%20Wing%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.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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