# NTSB GAA19CA118: Cessna 172, N12181, Appleton, MN, January 2, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 2, 2019, 11:40 local (17:40 UTC) - Place: Appleton, MN - Coordinates: 45.2275, -96.004447 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2275&lon=-96.0044&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 98922 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA118 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98922/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98922 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA118 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s loss of directional control while landing on an ice-covered runway, which resulted in a loss of directional control, and his failure to attain sufficient airspeed during a subsequent aborted landing, which resulted in a nose-over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: snow/slush/ice covered surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023015/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 219 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 59 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,969 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 123 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 9,308 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,682 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: sign/marker](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022015/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 214 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 61 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 4,590 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,428 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,656 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 10,152 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 2,289 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that, during a solo cross-country flight, he flew over the airport to assess the runway conditions. He saw that the windsock indicated that he would be landing with a right crosswind, and he determined that the runway was suitable for landing. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered ice on the runway and drifted left. He added power to abort the landing, but the airplane exited the left side of the runway and collided with runway lighting. He pulled back on the yoke, and the airplane climbed momentarily, but the airplane did not have enough airspeed to sustain flight. The airplane touched down on the left side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing strut. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student reported that the wind during the landing was from 180° at 10 knots with no gusts. He landed the airplane on runway 13. ## Factual narrative The student pilot reported that during a cross-country solo flight, he over flew the airport to assess the runway conditions. He observed that the windsock indicated that he would be landing with a crosswind from the right, and he determined that the runway was suitable for landing. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered ice on the runway and drifted to the left. He added power to abort the landing, but the airplane exited the left side of the runway and collided with runway lighting. He pulled back on the yoke and the airplane climbed momentarily, but the airplane did not have enough airspeed to sustain flight. The airplane touched down on the left side of the runway and nosed over. The pilot reported that the wind during landing was from 180° at 10 knots with no gusts. He landed on runway 13. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing strut. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N12181](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N12181), registered now, S/N 17261865 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (M) - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17261865 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 8140 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Wild River Flying Club Inc - Registered owner: Wild River Flying Club Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2018 - Departed: WN86, Osceola, WI - Destination: AQP, Appleton, MN - Airport: AQP, Appleton Muni, runway 13, 3,500 × 75 ft, ice - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 71.3 total, 13 in this make and model, 11.1 as pilot in command, 2.2 in the last 90 days, 2.2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 5 °F, dew point -2 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: KAQP, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20190102000079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190102000079A), Jan 2, 2019: Cessna 172M, Appleton, MN, Substantial damage. The day prior to the accident the student pilot (sp) was warned by relatives that he was going to visit on his first solo cross country flight that there was… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 11, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98922. 3.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40474074&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 110 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40474075&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.