# NTSB LAX06CA174: Cessna 172S, N3544Z, Madera, CA, May 18, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 18, 2006, 09:35 local (16:35 UTC) - Place: Madera, CA - Coordinates: 36.986389, -120.112777 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9864&lon=-120.1128&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 31, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 63733 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX06CA174 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63733/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06CA174 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - sign ## Analysis During the landing roll out, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and impacted a runway marker sign. The purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings. During the first landing, the student pilot noticed that the wind seemed to be pushing the airplane to the right, but he executed the landing without incident. On the second landing, the airplane touched down just past the runway numbers, and he pulled the power back to idle. The pilot said that the airplane veered to the left of the runway centerline and was headed toward the left runway edge. He attempted to correct with slight right rudder, and did not use full right rudder input to return the airplane to the runway because he felt that full right rudder input would cause the airplane to flip over. He allowed the airplane to continue off the runway and applied the brakes. The airplane's left wing strut hit a runway marker sign and the airplane came to a stop beside the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. Reported wind conditions at the time of the accident were from 150 degrees at 5 knots. ## Factual narrative On May 18, 2006, about 0935 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N3544Z, veered off the runway during the landing roll out and collided with an airport sign at Madera Municipal Airport, Madera, California. The owner /operator was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The instructional flight departed Madera about 0930, with a planned destination of Fresno, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The student pilot submitted a written report. Prior to departure, he called the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) in Madera. He recalled the reported winds to be from 130 degrees at 4 knots. He departed Fresno Yosemite International Airport about 0930 and flew to Madera Municipal Airport to practice takeoffs and landings. He planned to do three to four landings in Madera and then return to Fresno. He noted that other airplanes at Madera were using runway 30. He flew southwest of the airport and entered the traffic pattern at 45 degrees to the left downwind for runway 30. During his first landing, he noticed that the wind seemed to be pushing him to the right, but he executed the landing without incident. He came to a full stop, taxied off the runway onto taxiway Charlie, and taxied back to the approach end of runway 30. He took off from runway 30, and flew a normal traffic pattern. On the pilot's second landing, the airplane touched down just past the runway numbers, and he pulled the power back to idle. The pilot said that after touchdown the airplane veered to the left of the runway centerline. He attempted to correct with slight right rudder input. He believed that if he input full right rudder to compensate for direction of travel, the airplane would flip over. He decided to allow the airplane to continue in its current direction of travel, to the left of the runway centerline, and applied brake pressure. The airplane's left wing strut hit a runway marker sign, and the airplane came to a stop beside the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. The wind conditions at Madera at 0953 were from 150 degrees at 5 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3544Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3544Z), registered now, S/N 172S8999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8999 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Scott Aircraft, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: MAE, Madera, CA - Destination: FAT, Fresno, CA - Airport: MAE, Madera Municipal, runway 30, 5,544 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 58; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3; seat: left; flight hours: 60 total, 60 in this make and model, 5 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 5 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: MAE ## 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 20060518030709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060518030709A), May 18, 2006: Cessna 172S, Madera, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) After touchdown with a slight tailwind, the student pilot experienced the plane veering to the left. Minor application of the rudder did not seem to… ## Other investigations on N3544Z (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 SEA07CA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07CA243), Aug 29, 2007: Cessna 172S (N3544Z), Bakersfield, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a collision with a taxiway sign. 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.