# NTSB LAX94LA154: Cessna 172N, N487ER, Prescott, AZ, March 4, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 4, 1994, 10:05 local (17:05 UTC) - Place: Prescott, AZ - Coordinates: 34.619964, -112.419609 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6200&lon=-112.4196&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report November 14, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28690 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX94LA154 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28690/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94LA154 ## Probable cause THE STUDENT PILOT'S DELAYED FLARE AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - delayed, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TOUCH-AND GO- OPERATIONS. THE STUDENT CARRIED THE APPROACH ABOUT 1,000 FEET BEYOND THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, FLARED, AND MADE A VERY HARD TOUCHDOWN, STRIKING THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND POWER WAS APPLIED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN AGAIN WITH THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAVEMENT, AND CONTINUED TO ROLL APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 1,000 FEET, VEERING LEFT AND RIGHT, BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO A DITCH AND NOSING OVER IN SOFT DIRT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE OF 287 HOURS WITH 11 HOURS AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE DUAL PRIMARY STUDENT HAD A TOTAL TIME OF 13 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION. ## Factual narrative On March 4, 1994, at 1005 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172N, N487ER, sustained structural damage after a hard landing and veering off the runway at Prescott, Arizona. The aircraft was owned and operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University of Prescott, Arizona, and was on a local area dual instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions were prevalent at the time and no flight plan had been filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage upon colliding with a ditch and nosing over. The certificated commercial pilot/flight instructor and his dual primary student sustained serious injuries. The flight originated on the day of the mishap at 0835 from the Ernest Love Municipal Airport. In verbal and written statements, the chief flight instructor reported that the instructor and student were practicing touch- and-go operations on runway 21R. The student carried the approach about 1,000 feet beyond the approach end of the runway, flared, and made a very hard touchdown striking the tail of the aircraft on the runway. The aircraft bounced and power was applied. The aircraft came down again with the right main wheel off the right side of the pavement and continued to roll approximately another 1,000 feet, veering left and right, before running off the right side of the runway into a ditch and nosing over in soft dirt. The flight instructor has a total flight experience of 287 hours with 11 hours as a flight instructor. The dual primary student has a total time of 13 hours of dual instruction. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N487ER](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N487ER-1997-01-17), registration cancelled 1997-01-17, S/N 17270325 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 70325 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-AUN 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ - Registered owner: Embry-Riddle Aero. University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, February 23, 1994 - Airport: PRC, Ernest A. Love Fld, runway 21R, 7,616 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 21; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 287 total, 195 in this make and model, 287 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 4 knots - Visibility: 60 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PRC ## 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 19940304003769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940304003769A), Mar 4, 1994: Cessna 172N, Prescott, AZ, Substantial damage. Student over rotated landing. Bounced lost control. Nosed over in a ditch off runway. 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.