N975BC

On April 18, 2000, at 1400 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172R, N975BC, operated by Western Michigan University, collided with two runway signs and two runway lights during an aborted landing following a loss of directional control. The landing was being made on runway 23 (10,000' x 150') at the Kellogg Airport, Battle Creek, Michigan. The student pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 local flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated at Battle Creek, Michigan, at 1305 edt.

The student pilot reported that he flared the airplane 20 to 30 feet above the runway and the airplane bounced. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway in a nose high attitude. The student reported he added power to abort the landing and the elevator struck runway lights and the runway signs. He stated he was able to get the airplane back on the runway centerline and the go around was aborted. The pilot reported the winds were calm when the accident occurred.

The Safety Officer for the International Pilot Training Centre at Western Michigan University reported, "The aircraft landed heavily veered to the left and bounced back into the air in a nose high attitude. Although power was reapplied to effect a "go around" procedure, the pilot was unable to recover the situation and witnesses report that the aircraft appeared to strike the ground, firstly with the left, then with the right elevator section. The aircraft struck two runway lights and two frangible taxiway/runway information boards to the left of runway 23 at the intersections with taxiway E and runway 13."