- Date
- July 4, 1994, 15:58 local (19:58 UTC)
- Place
- Princess Anne, MD
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4828GCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940704017459A
- Case key
- 38777
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's failure to do a go-around and her delay in the initiating of an aborted landing, which resulted in her failure to outclimb trees during the aborted 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
The pilot stated that she thought the grass strip was wet from a 'previous rain,' and upon touchdown the airplane 'bounced slightly once.' She further stated that the brakes would not work properly, and the plane was not stopping. The pilot aborted the landing, and the airplane struck the top of a tree. The investigation revealed that two witnesses saw the airplane initially land approximately halfway down the 2500 feet runway. Further investigation revealed that the grass was dry and the runway was in excellent condition. It was also revealed that the pilot did not raise the flaps after aborting the landing.
Factual narrative
On July 4, 1994, about 1558 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N4828G, piloted by Ms. Patricia Lorraine, collided with a tree after an aborted landing at a private grass strip near, Princess Anne, Maryland. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was operated under 14 CFR 91.
According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, dated October 4, 1994, the pilot wrote that she thought the grass strip was wet from a "previous rain." She wrote:
...bounced slightly once...however on the ground the brakes would not work properly...the plane was not stopping and before hitting a tree at the end of the runway, I attempted a go-around...almost cleared the trees, but hit the top of one [tree]...
According to FAA Inspector, Leo Kuneman's written statement, dated July 27, 1994, he talked to the State Police at the crash site. The State Police told Mr. Kuneman they had talked with two witnesses that said, "...the aircraft landed approximately half way down the runway, then attempted to do a go around."
The FAA's investigation revealed that the grass strip was dry and in "excellent condition," the approach area was free of obstacles, the full weight of the airplane touched down on the runway, and the flaps were not retracted after the aborted landing.
Mr. Kuneman wrote in his statement:
We have determined that she did attempt a go around, but failed to raise the flaps, which markedly decreased the performance of the aircraft...by landing at the halfway point on the runway, the pilot decreased her ability to stop the aircraft on the initial landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4828G
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273376
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Performance Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PTB · Petersburg, VA
- Airport
- Finch [Private], runway 15, 2,500 × 25 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 188 total · 17 in this make and model · 102 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.