# NTSB NYC01LA203: Cessna 172L, N7821G, Parkersburg, WV, August 4, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 4, 2001, 17:15 local (21:15 UTC) - Place: Parkersburg, WV - Coordinates: 39.260086, -81.540161 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2601&lon=-81.5402&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 18, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 52933 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC01LA203 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52933/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA203 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to obtain a proper rate of climb, resulting in a collision with trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - object - tree(s) - proper climb rate - not attained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis While landing, the airplane bounced, and the student pilot applied power to "even it out a little." The airplane touched back down on the main landing gear and began to pull to the right. The student pilot applied power and aborted the landing. As the airplane began to climb, the student pilot observed trees in front of him, and realized that the airplane would not climb over them, and aborted the takeoff. The airplane impacted the trees and came to rest on its right side. A witness stated that he observed the airplane about 20 feet above the runway, "in a real high nose attitude or a high angle of attack." The airplane did not appear to gain any altitude for about 75 percent of the runway. ## Factual narrative On August 4, 2001, about 1715 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172L, N7821G, was substantially damaged during an aborted landing at the Wood County Airport (PKB), Parkersburg, West Virginia. The certificated student pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the student pilot, after he was cleared to land on runway 03, he began to feel ill and decided to land on runway 10. As the airplane touched down, it bounced, and the student pilot applied power to "even it out a little." The airplane touched back down on the main landing gear and began to pull to the right. The student pilot thought he was going to run off the right side of the runway and applied power to abort the landing. As the airplane began to climb, the student pilot observed trees in front of him, and realized that the airplane would not climb over them. He then elected to land the airplane in a clearing prior to the trees. The airplane passed over the clearing and impacted the trees, then came to rest on its right side. A witness stated that he observed the airplane about 20 feet above the runway, "in a real high nose attitude or a high angle of attack." The airplane did not appear to gain any altitude for about 75 percent of the runway. The witness then lost sight of the airplane as it passed by a hangar. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage after the accident and observed the flaps in the "retracted position." No abnormalities were observed with the airframe or engine. The winds reported at PKB, about the time of the accident, were variable at 3 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7821G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7821G-2003-05-06), registration cancelled 2003-05-06, S/N 17259521, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172L - Registry model: [Cessna 172L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (registry code 2072432) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17259521 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E-2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ray W. Kidd - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 20, 2000, 45 hours before - Departed: PKB, Parkersburg, WV - Destination: ZZV, Zanesville, OH - Airport: PKB, Wood County Airport, runway 10, 4,000 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 61 total, 61 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft broken - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: PKB ## 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 20010804019269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010804019269A), Aug 4, 2001: Cessna 172L, Parkersburg, WV, No damage. (.19) On August 4, 2001, about 1715 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172L, N7821G, was substantially damaged during an aborted landing at the Wood county… 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.