- Date
- April 5, 2018, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Livermore, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1438UCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180405003339A
- Case key
- 96985
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 pilot’s failure to maintain runway centerline and flight instructor’s delayed remedial action during 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 flight instructor reported that, while the student pilot was landing, a wind gust pushed the airplane to the left side of the runway about 10 ft off the ground. The flight instructor took the flight controls and added full power to go around. Subsequently, the airplane bounced, the left main landing gear "caught onto something" on the ground, and the airplane spun around. The left wing struck the ground and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 290° at 6 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 25L.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, while the student pilot was landing, a wind gust pushed the airplane to the left side of the runway about 10 ft off the ground. The flight instructor took the flight controls and added full power to go around. Subsequently, the airplane bounced, the left main landing gear "caught onto something" on the ground, and the airplane spun around. The left wing struck the ground and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 290° at 6 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 25L.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1438U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17267105
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 4,533.2
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 27, 2018
- Departed
- LVK · Livermore, CA
- Destination
- LVK · Livermore, CA
- Airport
- LVK · Livermore Muni, runway 25L, 2,699 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 23
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 2, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 987 total · 891 in this make and model · 914 as pilot in command · 190 in the last 90 days · 95 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 20
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 38 total · 38 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KLVK
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 23, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.