# NTSB NYC94LA181: Cessna 172P, N55164, Sterling, MA, September 20, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 20, 1994, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Sterling, MA - Location: 42.4259° N, 71.7929° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at STERLING (3B3), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4259&lon=-71.7929&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 7, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38834 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA181 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38834/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA181 ## Probable cause The pilot misjudged landing distance, which resulted in an overrun of the runway. A factor is the pilot's failure to do a go-around. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll - ground loop/swerve - initiated, pilot in command ## Analysis ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ON HIS FIRST APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE WAS HIGH AND THE PILOT MADE A GO-AROUND. ON HIS SECOND APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1/2 TO 2/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY AND JUST PRIOR TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, FLIPPED OVER AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE PILOT REPORTED HE THOUGHT HE COULD STOP ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND DID NOT MAKE A GO-AROUND. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE 19 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ## Factual narrative On September 20, 1994, at 1830 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N55164, piloted by Marc B. Cananese, of Worcester, Massachusetts, overran the runway during landing at Sterling, Massachusetts. The airplane was destroyed. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight which was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, the flight originated in Worcester with a landing at Orange, Massachusetts, prior to the landing on runway 34R at Sterling. The first approach was high and he went around, and came back for a second approach. In the NTSB Accident report, the pilot stated: ...As I cleared the highway obstruction the airspeed was just below 70 kts. The airplane floated over the runway and touched down at about midfield. I believed that I could stop the plane in the distance remaining and I used full braking. As the end of the runway came closer, I decided that a go-around at that point would not have been a good decision due to high trees at the departure end. In the last 50 feet, I attempted to the turn the plane around and it skidded. The left wheel caught the edge of the bank and the plane flipped once and landed upside down.... A witness at the airport reported: ...Aircraft passed center taxiway approx 10-15 ft above runway with partial power (est 1000-1200 RPM) was hot, reduced power and landed more than 2/3 down runway...Lost sight of A/C...Heard tire squeal and heard metal crunching sound.... According to the airport facility directory, runway 34R was 3010 feet long, 40 feet wide, and had an asphalt surface. The pilot had received his private pilot certificate on September 1, 1994. According to the NTSB Accident Report Form, he had a total time of 56 hours with 6 hours in the Cessna 172. ## Aircraft - Registration: N55164 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17275125 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Amity Air Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal - Departed: ORE, ORANGE, MA - Airport: 3B3, Sterling, runway 34R, 3,010 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 56 total, 6 in this make and model, 12 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F ## 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 19940920037689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940920037689A), Sep 20, 1994: Cessna 172P, Sterling, MA, Destroyed. Landed fast on last third runway on second try. Tried to ground loop to avoid overrun. Nosed over. 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.