- Date
- April 2, 2019, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clemson, SC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N54222Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190402002359A
- Case key
- 99216
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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack when it inadvertently became airborne, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 3
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 solo student pilot reported that, during landing, as the nosewheel touched down on the runway, he felt a "strong vibration," and the airplane veered left. He tried to correct by pulling back on the yoke, but the airplane became airborne and continued veering left, and the left wing impacted a ramp left of the runway. Examination of video surveillance revealed that, shortly after landing, the airplane veered left. The airplane then became airborne, aerodynamically stalled, and the left wing dropped and impacted the ramp. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The manager reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, as the nosewheel touched the runway, he felt a "strong vibration" and the airplane veered left. He tried to correct by pulling back on the yoke, but the airplane became airborne and continued left. The airplane impacted an adjacent ramp area to the left of the runway. Examination of video surveillance revealed that the airplane landed and shortly after veered to the left. The airplane then became airborne, aerodynamically stalled, the left wing dropped and impacted the ramp. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The manager 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 36 minutes before the accident, the wind was variable at 3 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 24 minutes after the accident, the wind was variable at 5 knots. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 25.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N54222
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (P)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274926
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 3,138
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Velocity Aviation Llc
- Registered owner
- Velocity Aviation Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 27, 2019
- Departed
- LZU · Lawrenceville, GA
- Destination
- CEU · Clemson, SC
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- CEU · Oconee County Rgnl, runway 25, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 59.5 total · 59.5 in this make and model · 7.5 as pilot in command · 30.1 in the last 90 days · 13.6 in the last 30 days · 3.9 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KCEU
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 29, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 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.