- Date
- June 10, 2016, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pasco, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N733ECCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 93371
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 flight instructor's failure to maintain pitch control during the simulated engine failure after takeoff, which resulted in a hard landing, landing gear(s) collapse, and wing damage.
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 flight instructor reported that about 150 feet above the ground during the initial climb, he reduced the power to idle to demonstrate loss of engine power during takeoff. He further reported that he lowered the nose of the airplane to gain airspeed, but after about 2 seconds the airplane settled rapidly. The flight instructor advanced the throttle to full forward, and flared about 20 feet above the ground to arrest the sink rate. He reported that the airplane landed flat, all three landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded about 150 feet down the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. According to the flight instructor there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport, revealed that, about 37 minutes before the accident the wind was 200 degrees true at 16 knots, wind gusts 23 knots. A further review revealed that, about 27 minutes after the accident the wind was 190 degrees true at 17 knots, wind gusts 27 knots. The airplane landed on runway 21R.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that about 150 feet above the ground during the initial climb, he reduced the power to idle to demonstrate loss of engine power during takeoff. He further reported that he lowered the nose of the airplane to gain airspeed, but after about 2 seconds the airplane settled rapidly. The flight instructor advanced the throttle to full forward, and flared about 20 feet above the ground to arrest the sink rate. He reported that the airplane landed flat, all three landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded about 150 feet down the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. According to the flight instructor there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport, revealed that, about 37 minutes before the accident the wind was 200 degrees true at 16 knots, wind gusts 23 knots. A further review revealed that, about 27 minutes after the accident the wind was 190 degrees true at 17 knots, wind gusts 27 knots. The airplane landed on runway 21R.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733EC
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268229
- Built
- 1976
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Bergstrom Aircraft Inc.
- Registered owner
- Bergstrom Aircraft Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PSC · Pasco, WA
- Destination
- PSC · Pasco, WA
- Airport
- PSC · Tri-Cities, runway 21R, 7,711 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 20, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,300 total · 500 in this make and model · 1,200 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 37 total · 37 in this make and model · 12 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KPSC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 29, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.