- Date
- May 2, 2017, 09:35 local (13:35 UTC)
- Place
- Atlanta, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N704RBCessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- FAA report
- 20170502007469A
- Case key
- 95182
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 student’s incorrect use of the go-around procedure, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
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 flight instructor reported that he and his student were practicing landings. He reported that his student's approach was unstable and left of the centerline as the airplane approached the runway numbers. The instructor called for a go-around and applied full throttle, and the student pitched for a climb, but the airplane stalled. The instructor pushed the nose down to increase the airspeed, but the airplane impacted the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that he and his student were practicing landings to the runway. He reported that his student's approach was unstable and left of the centerline as the airplane approached the runway numbers. The instructor called for a go-around, and applied full throttle, and the student pitched for a climb but the airplane stalled. The instructor pushed the nose down to increase the airspeed, but the airplane impacted the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N704RB
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (SP)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9657
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 4,234.3
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 6, 2017
- Departed
- FTY · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- PDK · Atlanta, GA
- Airport
- PDK · Dekalb-Peachtree, runway 21R, 3,746 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Auto-pilot
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,700 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 2,600 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 40 total · 40 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KPDK
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 4, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 535 KB 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.