- Date
- May 14, 1997, 14:05 local (18:05 UTC)
- Place
- Vero Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9504HCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970514014339A
- Case key
- 38280
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
failure of the pilot to ensure all articles in the aircraft were secured before flight, and subsequently, an oil can becoming lodged under the rudder pedals and preventing her from controlling the aircraft during landing.
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
During landing rollout, the pilot was unable to control the aircraft using rudder and wheel brake controls. The aircraft went off the side of the runway and turned around toward the runway as it came to rest. After the aircraft stopped the pilot found a 1 quart can of engine oil lodged under the left rudder pedal.
Factual narrative
On May 14, 1997, about 1405 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N9504H, registered to an individual, ran off the runway while landing at Vero Beach Municipal Airport, Vero Beach, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Key West, Florida, the same day, about 1100.
The pilot stated that after landing on runway 11 left, she was unable to control the aircraft using the rudder pedals and wheel brakes. The rudder pedals seemed not to be working. The aircraft swerved to the left and went off the side of the runway. The aircraft then made a right turn and came to rest facing the runway. After the accident she found a 1-quart oil can under the left rudder pedal, which she believes slipped forward from the back seat area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9504H
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17266184
- Airframe hours
- 3,714
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Victoria L. Weaver
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 19, 1996 · 124 hours before
- Departed
- EYW · Key West, FL
- Airport
- VRB · Vero Beach, runway 11L, 3,500 × 75 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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 265 total · 57 in this make and model · 22 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VRB, 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.
Other investigations on N9504H · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.