# NTSB MIA99LA090: Cessna 172P, N65770, Pelion, SC, February 21, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 21, 1999, 16:25 local (21:25 UTC) - Place: Pelion, SC - Coordinates: 33.779766, -81.239448 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7798&lon=-81.2394&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 18, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 45783 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA99LA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45783/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA090 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of directional control during landing roll as a result of improper recovery from a bounced landing and the subsequent excursion from the runway, collision with the adjacent terrain, and collapse of the nose landing gear. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ground - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll ## Analysis The student pilot's second solo touch-and go-landing resulted in a bounced landing and violent nose wheel shimmy. He pulled slight back pressure to unload his nose wheel and lost directional control off the left side of the runway. The airplane collided with an intersecting taxiway, and collapsed the nose landing gear. Subsequent FAA examination revealed no discrepancies in the landing gear, braking, or steering systems. ## Factual narrative On February 21, 1999, about 1625 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172P, N65770, registered to Eagle Aviation, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed on landing to runway 35 at Pelion Corporate Airport, Pelion, South Carolina. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 5 minutes before the accident. According to the student's CFI, the student and himself had just completed a 1-hour 12-minute dual instructional flight with eight landings, and the accident was the student's second solo touch-and-go landing. The CFI, an eyewitness to the occurrence, stated a right crosswind developed causing the airplane to drift left during flare. The pilot lost directional control and exited the runway off the left side. The runway excursion caused the nose landing gear to collapse and the propeller to strike the ground. According to the student, his second solo landing resulted in a bounced landing, and as he added power for takeoff, the nose wheel shimmied violently. He then slightly rotated to take the weight off the nosewheel, as instructed, and drifted off the left side of the runway. The airplane encountered a crossing taxiway and collapsed the nose landing gear. According to the FAA inspector, subsequent examination of the aircraft revealed that the nose landing gear folded back against the belly of the airplane damaging the firewall. The nosewheel and fork assembly broke from the strut assembly, and was laying next to the airplane. There was no report of any malfunction of the landing gear, steering, or braking systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N65770](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N65770), registered now, S/N 17275874, built 1982 (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: 172-75874 - Airframe hours: 9584 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Eagle Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, January 22, 1999, 55 hours before - Departed: 6JO - Airport: 6JO, Pelion Corporate Airpark, runway 35, 4,335 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; student; medical: class 3, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 9 total, 9 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 9 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: CAE, 10 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 19990221001709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990221001709A), Feb 21, 1999: Cessna 172P, Pelion, SC, Substantial damage. Pilot attempted to make a go-around and lost directional control of the acft. Other circumstances are unknown. (.4) the student pilot's second solo touch-and… 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.