- Date
- March 7, 2004, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Stevensville, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N317MECessna 172S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040307035269A
- Case key
- 58867
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 student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing. A factor was the student pilot's lack of experience.
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 pilot had completed 14 hours of instructional flight, and was performing her first solo flight. She landed on a 2,903-foot long, 60-foot wide, asphalt runway. While on final approach for her second landing, the student pilot noted that the airplane was right of the runway center. She corrected with left rudder; however, the airplane veered sharply left upon touchdown. While trying to regain control, the student pilot inadvertently relaxed the back pressure on the yoke, which caused the propeller to strike the runway. The airplane subsequently departed the right side of the runway, traveled through a ditch, and came to rest upright in a grass area.
Factual narrative
On March 7, 2004, about 0830 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172S, N317ME was substantially damaged while landing at Bay Bridge Airport (W29), Stevensville, Maryland. The certificated student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local solo instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The student pilot reported that she had completed 14 hours of instructional flight, and was performing her first solo flight. She landed on runway 29, a 2,903-foot long, 60-foot wide, asphalt runway. The student pilot then attempted a second landing at W29. While on final approach, the student pilot noted that the airplane was right of the runway center. She corrected with left rudder; however, the airplane veered sharply left upon touchdown. While trying to regain control, the student pilot inadvertently relaxed the back pressure on the yoke, which caused the propeller to strike the runway. The airplane subsequently departed the right side of the runway, traveled through a ditch, and came to rest upright in a grass area.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector observed damage to the propeller, nose gear, and firewall.
The reported wind at an airport approximately 20 miles northwest of the accident site, at 0854, was from 270 degrees at 10 knots. The student pilot stated that at the time of the accident, the winds were light and variable.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N317ME
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8562
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- J&S Services Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- W29 · Stevensville, MD
- Destination
- W29
- Airport
- W29 · Bay Bridge Airport, runway 29, 2,903 × 60 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 14 total · 14 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 34 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.