- Date
- October 8, 2016, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Argyle, NY
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3943FCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 6, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161008024649A
- Case key
- 94193
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 a stable descent rate and his improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 4
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 during a biennial flight review (BFR), while in the traffic pattern, the flight instructor reduced the throttle to idle to simulate a total engine failure. He further reported that during the base to final turn, the airplane was slow, and the stall warning horn was audible. During touchdown, the airplane landed hard, bounced, veered off the runway to the right, impacted a tree, and then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a biennial flight review (BFR), while in the traffic pattern, the flight instructor reduced the throttle to idle to simulate a total engine failure. He further reported that during the base to final turn, the airplane was slow, and the stall warning horn was audible. During touchdown, the airplane landed hard, bounced, veered off the runway to the right, impacted a tree, and then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3943F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 36843
- Built
- 1958
- Airframe hours
- 2,089.9
- Engine
- Continental O-300A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 25, 2016
- Departed
- RUT · Rutland, VT
- Destination
- 1C3 · Argyle, NY
- Airport
- 1C3 · Argyle, runway 03, 2,400 × 87 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 14, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 282.2 total · 271 in this make and model · 36.7 in the last 90 days · 8.8 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 18,500 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KGFL, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 19, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3943F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.