# NTSB NYC94LA115: Cessna 172P, N63021, Leesburg, VA, July 8, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 8, 1994, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Leesburg, VA
- Coordinates: 39.078094, -77.554769 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0781&lon=-77.5548&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 14, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38782
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA115
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38782/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA115

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to attain adequate airpseed during an aborted landing which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with the ground.  A factor is the the student pilot's inexperience.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - runway
  - landing gear,nose gear - collapsed

## Analysis

THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DURING AN ABORTED LANDING AND NOSED DOWN ON THE ADJACENT GRASS. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT, 'ONCE I TOUCHED DOWN, THE PLANE TURNED TO TH LEFT.  THINKING I WAS STILL IN THE AIR FLYING, I ADDED POWER TO GO AROUND.  IN THE PROCESS, THE PLANE WENT OFF THE RUNWAY, ACROSS THE GRASS, AND HIT THE TAXIWAY.  SO I PULLED BACK ON THE WHEEL, I STALLED THE PLANE, AND I ENDED UP IN THE GRASS, NOSE DOWN.'  THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

## Factual narrative

On July 8, 1994, about 1530 eastern daylight time, N63021, a Cessna 172P airplane, a training flight, overran the side of the runway during landing at Leesburg Airport, Leesburg, Virginia.  Visual meteorological conditions existed.  The student pilot, the sole occupant, received no injuries.  The airplane was destroyed.  The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91.

The student pilot had 9 hours of solo time, and was returning from a solo cross country flight to Charlottesville, Virginia.  After landing at Charlottseville, he had lunch and departed for Leesburg Airport.  He reported no problems on the return flight to Leesburg.

On final approach to runway 17, the student pilot saw the aircraft in front of him still on the runway.  He initiated a go- around, and went around the pattern again with no difficulties.

According to the student pilot, as he was on the landing roll out the plane veered left.  "Once I touched down the plane turned to the left.  Thinking I was still in the air flying, I added power to go around.  In the process the plane went off the runway, across the grass and hit the taxiway.  So I pulled back on the wheel, I stalled the plane and I ended up in the grass nose down.  The pilot reported no mechanical problems.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N63021](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N63021-2013-06-07), registration cancelled 2013-06-07, S/N 17275381, built 1981 (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: 17275381
- Airframe hours: 2833
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Av-Ed Flight School, Inc., doing business as Av-Ed Aviation
- Registered owner: David Allen & Donald Robb
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 2, 1994, 77 hours before
- Departed: CHO, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: JYO, Leesburg Airport, runway 17, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 29; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 47 total, 47 in this make and model, 9 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 5 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 97 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg

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.