- Date
- March 26, 2019, 14:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place
- Pella, IA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7127GCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190326001999A
- Case key
- 99213
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 and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action during landing, which resulted in the instructor landing the airplane in grass left of the runway and a subsequent nose-over.
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, during the landing with the student pilot on the flight controls, about 5 to 10 ft above the ground, a wind gust caused the airplane to drift right. The instructor assumed control of the airplane, attempted to correct, applied full power, and initiated a go-around. The instructor stated that the airplane was "low and slow," and the left main landing gear contacted the runway, and the airplane drifted left. Concerned the airplane would not gain significant altitude to clear the buildings in the flightpath, the instructor chose to land in the grass left of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane encountered soft terrain and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and rudder. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. About the time of the accident, the airport's automated weather observation station reported that the wind was from 170° at 5 knots. The student was landing the airplane on runway 16.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, during the landing with the student pilot on the flight controls, about 5 to 10 feet above the ground, a gust of wind caused the airplane to drift to the right. The instructor assumed control of the airplane, attempted to correct, applied full power, and initiated a go-around. The airplane was "low and slow" and the left main landing gear contacted the runway and the airplane drifted left. Concerned the airplane would not gain significant altitude to clear the buildings in the flight path, the instructor elected to land in the grass left of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane encountered soft terrain and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damaged to the aft fuselage and rudder. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. About the time of the accident, the automated weather reporting station, located on the airport, reported that the wind was from 170° at 5 knots. The student pilot was landing the airplane on runway 16.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7127G
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (K)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17258827
- Built
- 1969
- Airframe hours
- 10,600
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Classic Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Classic Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 17, 2019
- Departed
- PEA · Pella, IA
- Destination
- PEA · Pella, IA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- PEA · Pella Muni, runway 16, 5,403 × 75 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B, 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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 16, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 562.2 total · 314.5 in this make and model · 494.8 as pilot in command · 61.5 in the last 90 days · 14.8 in the last 30 days · 2.2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 17
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 51 total · 42.4 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 3.9 in the last 30 days · 2.2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- KPEA
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 736 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.
Other investigations on N7127G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.