# NTSB LAX01LA137: Cessna 172S, N669SP, Long Beach, CA, April 3, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 2, 2001, 18:49 local (Apr 3, 2001, 01:49 UTC) - Place: Long Beach, CA - Coordinates: 33.817501, -118.15139 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8175&lon=-118.1514&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 3, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION - NTSB case key (mKey): 52020 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX01LA137 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52020/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA137 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate compensation for the exisiting crosswind and his improper landing flare that resulted in a hard landing, and loss of directional control during the landing roll. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, dual student (cause) - weather condition - crosswind - flare - improper, dual student (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - airport sign/marker ## Analysis The student pilot landed hard, veered to the right of the runway, and stuck a taxiway sign with the lower portion of the left wing strut. The pilot, on his fifth solo flight, had been approved by his flight instructor to practice landing-pattern work. Winds at the time of the accident were from 160 degrees at 9 knots. ## Factual narrative On April 2, 2001, at 1849 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N669SP, made a hard landing on runway 25L at the Long Beach/Daugherty Field Airport, Long Beach, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage after it veered off the right side of the runway and struck a taxiway sign with the lower portion of the left wing strut. The airplane was operated by Surface to Air as an instructional flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local landing pattern-work flight. No flight plan had been filed. The Long Beach/Daugherty Field (LGB) aviation routine weather report (METAR) issued at 1856 reported: visibility 10 miles with few clouds at 4,000 msl; wind from 160 degrees at 9 knots; temperature 57 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 48 degrees Fahrenheit; and altimeter 29.85 inHg. A Safety Board investigator interviewed the operator of the airplane. He stated that this was the student pilot's fifth solo. The pilot had been approved to practice landing pattern work. On the first landing the student landed the airplane hard. The airplane ballooned and veered to the right off the runway, where it struck a taxiway sign. Repeated unsuccessful attempts were made to obtain airplane and pilot information from both the airplane owner and the student pilot. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N669SP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N669SP-2006-04-17), registration cancelled 2006-04-17, S/N 172S8622 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8622 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Surface to Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: LGB, Long Beach, CA - Destination: LGB, Long Beach, CA - Airport: LGB, Long Beach, runway 25L, 5,420 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: LGB ## 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 20010402014479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010402014479A), Apr 2, 2001: Cessna 172S, Long Beach, CA, No damage. (-23) Student lost control of aircraft on landing, went off runway and collided with runway signage. ## Other investigations on N669SP (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX04CA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA186), Apr 13, 2004: Cessna 172S (N669SP), Long Beach, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student pilot's inadequate flare, which resulted in a hard landing and porpoise. 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.