- Date
- April 20, 2018, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- San Jose, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N23ATCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180420003879A
- Case key
- 97112
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 the runway heading during the approach to land, 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 manager at the flight school reported that, during a training flight, the student allowed the airplane to drift to the right of the runway centerline on approach. He added that the flight instructor reminded the student to remain on the centerline, but as the airplane flared for landing it continued to drift to the right of the centerline. The student applied full right rudder, the airplane "yawed and banked to the left," the instructor pilot initiated a go-around, but the right main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. Subsequently, the flight instructor continued the go-around and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The manager at the flight school reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The manager at the flight school reported that, during a training flight, the student allowed the airplane to drift to the right of the runway centerline on approach. He added that, the flight instructor reminded the student to remain on the centerline, but as the airplane flared for landing it continued to drift to the right of the centerline. The student applied full right rudder, the airplane "yawed and banked to the left", the instructor initiated a go-around, but the right main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. Subsequently, the flight instructor continued the go-around and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The manager at the flight school reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23AT
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270997
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 17,208.38
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- California In Nice Inc
- Registered owner
- California In Nice Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 16, 2018
- Departed
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Destination
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- RHV · Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara C, runway 31L, 3,099 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B
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
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 21, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 820 total · 520 in this make and model · 670 as pilot in command · 331 in the last 90 days · 131 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 42 total · 42 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KRHV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 21, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.