- Date
- February 25, 2014, 10:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ramona, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N91712Cessna 172M
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20140225002219A
- Case key
- 88846
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 inadequate flare and failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The solo student pilot reported that he took off with the intent to remain in the airport traffic pattern, and do touch and go takeoffs and landings. During the landing on the second circuit, the airplane ballooned during the flare. When the pilot continued to attempt the landing, the airplane ballooned a second time and started to veer to the right. Following a third balloon as it veered to the right and touched down, the pilot applied left brake and rudder. The airplane exited the runway to the left and struck a berm and a rock, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that he took off with the intent to remain in the airport traffic pattern, and do touch and go takeoffs and landings. During the landing on the second circuit, the airplane ballooned during the flare. When the pilot continued to attempt the landing, the airplane ballooned a second time and started to veer to the right. Following a third balloon as it veered to the right and touched down, the pilot applied left brake and rudder. The airplane exited the runway to the left and struck a berm and a rock, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N91712
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17261508
- Built
- 1973
- Airframe hours
- 7,306
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 28, 2014
- Departed
- KRNM · Ramona, CA
- Destination
- KRNM · Ramona, CA
- Airport
- KRMN · Ramona Airport, runway 27, 5,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 41 total · 41 in this make and model · 6 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.