# NTSB MIA02LA051: Cessna 172P, N99295, Levittown, PR, January 26, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 26, 2002, 09:10 local (13:10 UTC) - Place: Levittown, PR - Coordinates: 18.45, -66.199996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4500&lon=-66.2000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FSDO FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 54080 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA051 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54080/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54080 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA051 ## Probable cause the failure of maintenance personnel to comply with aircraft manufacturer's inspection procedures, resulting in corrosion and separation of the aileron control cable in flight and the subsequent forced landing in a swamp. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, climb - to cruise - maintenance,inspection - not complied with, other maintenance personnel (cause) - flt control syst,aileron control cable/rod - corroded - flt control syst,aileron control cable/rod - separation (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - aileron - uncontrolled, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - swampy ## Analysis According to the pilot, 5 minutes after takeoff, all roll control was lost at both pilot's yokes. The pilot chose a field for an emergency landing, decided against a rudder only turn into the prevailing wind, and landed straight ahead. The field was a coastal swamp area and the aircraft sustained landing gear and wing damage. Post crash examination revealed aileron control cable separation near the turning pulley located at the left side cockpit overhead. NTSB Materials Laboratory examination of the cable fracture site revealed extensive corrosion damage to individual wire strands, with many strands corroded completely through. The aircraft had undergone an annual inspection 31.2 flight hours prior to the accident. ## Factual narrative On January 26, 2002, about 0910 Atlantic standard time, a Cessna 172P, N99295, registered to the Civil Air Patrol, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed while maneuvering in the vicinity of Levittown, Puerto Rico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage, and the private-rated pilot and commercially-rated safety pilot received minor injuries. The flight departed San Juan's Isla Grande Airport about 5 minutes before the accident. According to the pilot, shortly after departure, he gave control of the aircraft to his safety pilot while he donned and adjusted the "foggles". They both felt a jolt, and the safety pilot stated that he had lost aileron control. The pilot retook aircraft control and commanded the safety pilot to declare an emergency and communicate with ATC while he chose a suitable field to perform an emergency landing. An attempt to turn the aircraft into the wind using rudder only was abandoned, and the pilot decided to land the aircraft straight ahead. The touchdown was to a swampy area, and the left wing and nose strut were substantially damaged. According to FAA inspectors, postcrash examination of the aircraft revealed a separated left aileron main control cable above the cockpit headliner at a turning pulley near the left rear door post. The fractured cable was removed and sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for failure analysis. According to the NTSB Materials Laboratory report, detailed examination of the individual wire strands that form the .125 inch diameter, 7X19 constructed aileron control cable revealed extensive corrosion damage at the broken wire ends, with many of the wires corroded completely through. One of the wire strands was corroded completely through about 1 inch from the primary separation. The laboratory report is an attachment to this report. Aircraft maintenance records revealed that the aircraft underwent an annual inspection on October 11, 2001 at a total aircraft time of 2170.0 hours, or 31.2 hours prior to the accident. The Cessna model series 172 service manual calls for 200 hour inspection intervals for aileron cable tension, routing, fraying, corrosion, and turnbuckle safety. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99295](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99295), registered now, S/N 17276429, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17276429 - Airframe hours: 2201.2 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-4AM 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 11, 2001, 31.2 hours before - Departed: TJIG, San Juan, PR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review April 1, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 323 total, 211 in this make and model, 259 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days - Check pilot; age 35; injuries: none; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 1, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 384 total, 212 in this make and model, 301 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 12 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.15 inHg - Observed at: TSJU, 8 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 20020126005219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020126005219A), Jan 26, 2002: Cessna 172P, Toabaja, Puerto Rico, No damage. (-23) On jan. 26, 2002 around 10:05 local inspector ismael ortiz from the sju .SO-FSDO-21 was advised by Mr. Stone from the NTSB, miami office, that the isla… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 1, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54080. 834 KB in all. - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 02-028 (item 1, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40147352&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%2002-028-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 386 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381825&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports-Cessna 172 Inspection Guide (item 3, .PDF, 343 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381821&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports-Cessna%20172%20Inspection%20Guide-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies-FAA (item 4, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381822&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies-FAA-Redacted.PDF 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.