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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

August 3, 2016 · Cessna 172 S · N5203H

Palm Springs, CA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 3, 2016
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Palm Springs, CA
Aircraft
Cessna 172 S (2007)
Tail Number
N5203H
Operator
M I Air
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
GAA16CA416

The solo student pilot reported that during the landing roll, the airplane drifted to the right of the runway centerline and he applied left rudder to correct. He further reported that he decided to abort the landing and applied full power. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the left, departed the runway, and nosed over in rough terrain. The student pilot reported that the airplane remained at "full power" through the nose over. The vertical stabilizer and both wings sustained substantial damage. The student pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge in part states: "To the pilot, "torque" (the left turning tendency of the airplane) is made up of four elements that cause or produce a twisting or rotating motion around at least one of the airplane's three axes. These four elements are: 1. Torque reaction from engine and propeller 2. Corkscrewing effect of the slipstream 3. Gyroscopic action of the propeller 4. Asymmetric loading of the propeller (P-factor)" It is likely that the student pilot did not counteract the left turning tendencies with sufficient right rudder after power was added to abort the landing.

NTSB Probable Cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an aborted landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and a nose over in rough terrain.

Full Narrative

The solo student pilot reported that during the landing roll, the airplane drifted to the right of the runway centerline and he applied left rudder to correct. He further reported that he decided to abort the landing and applied full power. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the left, departed the runway, and nosed over in rough terrain. The student pilot reported that the airplane remained at "full power" through the nose over. The vertical stabilizer and both wings sustained substantial damage. The student pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge in part states: "To the pilot, "torque" (the left turning tendency of the airplane) is made up of four elements that cause or produce a twisting or rotating motion around at least one of the airplane's three axes. These four elements are: 1. Torque reaction from engine and propeller 2. Corkscrewing effect of the slipstream 3. Gyroscopic action of the propeller 4. Asymmetric loading of the propeller (P-factor)" It is likely that the student pilot did not counteract the left turning tendencies with sufficient right rudder after power was added to abort the landing.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time09:50 PDT
Nearest AirportJacqueline Cochran Rgnl (1nm NNE)
Runway17
Runway Length8500 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172 S
Tail NumberN5203H
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorM I Air
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-360-L2A · Reciprocating · 180
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 25 · First Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind3 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point64 F
Altimeter29.87 inHg
Observation Time16:52
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data