# NTSB NYC95LA227: Cessna 172RG, N9497B, Pittsburgh, PA, September 29, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 28, 1995, 20:15 local (Sep 29, 1995, 00:15 UTC) - Place: Pittsburgh, PA - Location: 40.3544° N, 79.9290° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at ALLEGHENY COUNTY (AGC), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3544&lon=-79.9290&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 8, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39054 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC95LA227 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39054/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC95LA227 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point and excessive airspeed which resulted in an overrun and a subsequent collision with a trailer off the departure end of the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - proper touchdown point - not obtained, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - not performed, pilot in command - light condition - dark night - airport facilities,visual apch slope ind(vasi) - not available on selected runway - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - vehicle - object - building(nonresidential) ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 23, A 2534 FOOT LONG RUNWAY, WHICH WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE INDICATOR. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY THEN FLOATED AND TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT APPLIED HEAVY BRAKING; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY DOWN AN EMBANKMENT IMPACTING A TRAILER AND BUILDING. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT STATED, '...I LANDED FAST...', AND THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED AS CALM. ## Factual narrative On September 28, 1995, about 2015 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172RG, N9497B, was substantially damaged when it overran the runway during the landing, at the Allegheny County Airport, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight departed from Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania about 1815 destined for Pittsburgh. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated: ...I landed a little fast....I applied hard brakes....I decided that I was going too slow to go around....I applied harder brakes....I realized I would not stop on the runway....After leaving the runway, I felt the plane slowly fall and flutter. We immediately hit a building.... Additionally, under the section of mechanical malfunction failure, the pilot checked "NO". The FAA Inspector's statement stated: ...The Allegheny Tower reported the aircraft landed long on runway 23 near Alpha taxiway with approximately 800 feet remaining from the end of the runway.... ...During an on site inspection of the accident we found initial tire marks at the north end of taxiway Alpha, then the aircraft floated before ground contact at approximately 400 feet of runway remaining, with skid marks continuing down the runway moving to the right of the center line of runway 23. Then leaving the runway when the aircraft fell down a 50 foot hill, landing with the nose striking a small out-building, the left wing striking a trailer, and the right wing striking the hillside on the right side.... According to the Airport Facility Directory runway 23 was a 2534 foot long runway, and there was no visual approach slope indicator. Additionally, at the time of the accident, the winds were reported as calm. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9497B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9497B-2013-08-21), registration cancelled 2013-08-21, S/N 172RG0838, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172RG - Registry model: [Cessna 172RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (registry code 2072438) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172RG0838 - Airframe hours: 1573 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-F1A6 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William John Alexander - Registered owner: William John Alexander - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 22, 1995 - Departed: MPO, MOUNT POCONO, PA - Destination: AGC, PA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: AGC, Allegheny County, runway 23, 2,534 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 461 total, 370 in this make and model, 395 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 100° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: AGC ## 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 19950928030599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950928030599A), Sep 28, 1995: Cessna 172RG, Pittsburgh, PA, Substantial damage. Landed fast and long. Unable stop on runway. Ran off end down a hill into a trailer and building. 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.