- Date
- December 3, 2015, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Boca Raton, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5185DCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA South Florida FSDO
- Case key
- 92422
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing touchdown resulting in a runway excursion, a collision with an object, and an impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while performing a touch-and-go landing, he touched down with a "slight bounce." He reported that he applied power, but the rudder and aileron would not keep the airplane from "going left." The airplane departed the runway to the left, impacted a taxi sign, the left main landing gear and the nose landing gear collapsed, and came to a stop on a ramp. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while performing a touch-and-go landing, he touched down with a "slight bounce." He reported that he applied power, but the rudder and aileron would not keep the airplane from "going left." The airplane departed the runway to the left, impacted a taxi sign, the left main landing gear and the nose landing gear collapsed, and came to a stop on a ramp. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5185D
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272441
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 3,213.6
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Barnes, Herbert Jr.
- Registered owner
- Barnes, Herbert Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 19, 2015
- Departed
- BCT · Boca Raton, FL
- Destination
- BCT · Boca Raton, FL
- Airport
- BCT · Boca Raton, runway 05, 6,276 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS
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
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 16, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,302.3 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 1,302.3 as pilot in command · 13.1 in the last 90 days · 11.3 in the last 30 days · 0.4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KBCT
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 10, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 MB in all.