# NTSB LAX94LA186: Cessna 172P, N54006, Elko, NV, April 11, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 11, 1994, 16:44 local (23:44 UTC) - Place: Elko, NV - Location: 40.8122° N, 115.7824° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from ELKO RGNL (EKO), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8122&lon=-115.7824&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 18, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28715 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX94LA186 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28715/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94LA186 ## Probable cause the student pilot's improper use of the throttle and flap controls during a bounced landing recovery, and, his failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which led to an inadvertent stall/spin. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - raising of flaps - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - throttle/power control - not used, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed(vso) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT. HE REPORTED THAT THE STUDENT WAS ON HIS SECOND SUPERVISED SOLO AND HAD PERFORMED FOUR OR FIVE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. ON THE ACCIDENT LANDING, THE AIRPLANE 'BOUNCED FAIRLY HIGH.' THE STUDENT THEN STARTED A LEFT TURN WITH THE POWER REDUCED AND THE FLAPS EXTENDED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT HE USED THE RADIO IN AN ATTEMPT TO TELL THE STUDENT TO ADD POWER, RETRACT THE FLAPS, AND LOWER THE AIRCRAFT NOSE; HOWEVER, THE STUDENT DID NOT SEEM TO RESPOND TO THE INSTRUCTIONS. THE TURN CONTINUED UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STALL, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE FIRST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTORS WHO REPORTED THAT NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. ## Factual narrative On April 11, 1994, at 1644 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N54006, collided with the ground following a loss of control in the takeoff initial climb at the Elko, Nevada, airport. The aircraft was owned and operated by El Aero Services, Inc., of Elko, Nevada, and was rented by the pilot for a local area solo instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage and the student pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight originated at the Elko airport on the day of the accident at 1545 hours. The student's flight instructor witnessed the accident. He reported that the student was on his second supervised solo and had performed four or five takeoffs and landings. On the accident landing, the pilot "bounced fairly high." The student then started a left turn with the power reduced and the flaps extended. The flight instructor stated that he used the radio in an attempt to tell the student to add power, retract the flaps, and lower the aircraft nose; however, the student did not seem to respond to the instructions. The turn continued until the aircraft entered a stall, then impacted the ground nose first. The aircraft was examined by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors who reported that no discrepancies were found. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N54006](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N54006-1996-10-07), registration cancelled 1996-10-07, S/N 17274839 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17274839 - Airframe hours: 4703 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: El Aero Services, Inc. - Registered owner: El Aero Services, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 29, 1994, 29 hours before - Airport: EKO, J.C. Harris Field, runway 23, 7,211 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 19 total, 19 in this make and model, 2 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: EKO, 1 nm away ## 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 19940411000399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940411000399A), Apr 11, 1994: Cessna 172P, Elko, NV, Substantial damage. On second solo bounced fairly high began go around flaps down without adding power. Stalled. Impacted nose first. 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.