- Date
- May 14, 1994, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fernandina, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N99998Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940514010969A
- Case key
- 37545
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 pilot in command's improper use of flight controls and his failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall and uncontrolled descent to ground impact.
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-rated pilot stated that while on final approach with 20 degrees of flaps and an airspeed of 65 knots, the left wing dropped to a 20-degree left bank angle. He applied left rudder and right aileron to correct the bank. This had no effect so he initiated a go-around. After removing carburetor heat and applying power the aircraft's nose pitched up and the left wing dropped to a 30-degree bank angle. The stall warning horn then activated and the aircraft's nosed dropped. The aircraft descended and impacted the ground. The pilot reported he had no mechanical difficulties with the aircraft.
Factual narrative
On May 14, 1994, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N99998, registered to Civil Air Patrol Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight crashed at Fernandina Beach, Florida while making a go-around. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student-rated pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated Fernandina Beach, Florida, on May 14, 1994, at 1345.
The pilot stated he was on short final approach to runway 4 at 40 feet agl with flaps extended to 20 degrees and an airspeed of 65 knots. The left wing dropped to a 20-degree bank angle. He attempted to correct the bank with left rudder and right aileron with no success. He turned off carburetor heat and applied power to go-around. The aircraft nosed up and the left wing dropped to a 30-degree bank. The stall warning horn then sounded and the aircraft nosed down. The aircraft descended and impacted the ground. He stated he had no mechanical problems with the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99998
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17276536
- Airframe hours
- 3,622
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Civil Air Patrol
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 18, 1994 · 76 hours before
- Airport
- 55J · Fernandina Beach Municipa, runway 4, 5,350 × 100 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
- 46
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 48 total · 47 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JAX, 15 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.