- Date
- December 5, 1995, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Winslow, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N739LDCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 21, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951205039999A
- Case key
- 29347
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 student pilot's use of an excessive airspeed during the landing approach, which resulted in a hard landing, a porpoise, and a collapse of the nose landing gear.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The student pilot experienced a total loss of electrical power while on a solo cross-country flight and diverted from the planned destination to a closer airport. The student pilot was unable to lower the electrically operated flap system during the landing approach. The airplane touched down fast, bounced, and landed hard collapsing the nose gear. Examination of the airplane revealed a loose connection in the voltage regulator wiring harness which prevented the alternator from charging the battery.
Factual narrative
On December 5, 1995, at 0900 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 172N, N739LD, operated by the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), made a hard landing at the Winslow Municipal Airport, Winslow, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the solo instructional flight, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the student pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Prescott, Arizona, at 0730.
The 44-hour student pilot experienced a loss of electrical power while on a solo cross-country flight to Gallup, New Mexico. The pilot elected to divert to Winslow. The student pilot was unable to lower the electrically operated flaps during the landing approach. A fast no-flap landing was made on runway 04. The airplane porpoised several times collapsing the nose gear and damaging the firewall.
Examination of the airplane by an airframe and powerplant mechanic revealed a loose electrical connection in the airplane's electrical system. The plastic connector on the wiring harness from the voltage regulator to the alternator was found loose. The loose connection would have prevented the airplane's battery from charging.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N739LD
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270620
- Airframe hours
- 7,004
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4N, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · November 27, 1995 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Destination
- GUP · Gallup, NM
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- INW · Winslow Municipal, runway 4, 7,498 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 19
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 45 total · 45 in this make and model · 9 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 65 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.