N5123E

Substantial
Minor

CESSNA 172S/N: 71722

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, September 27, 2009
NTSB Number
ERA09CA539
Location
Factoryville, PA
Event ID
20090929X84758
Coordinates
41.589443, -75.756111
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The flight instructor's delayed decision to take control of the airplane and execute a missed approach. Contributing to the accident was the lack of communication between the certificated flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
71722
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1978
Model / ICAO
172C172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
4
FAA Model
172N

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
MILLER KENNETH ALLEN
Address
245 NEWTON AVE
City
RIVERHEAD
State / Zip Code
NY 11901-4712
Country
United States

Analysis

The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot receiving instruction were conducting an instrument approach to a 2,500-foot long runway in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The pilot receiving instruction was at the controls. As the airplane reached the minimum descent altitude, the pilot initiated a circle-to-land on the opposite runway. The CFI then said, "no," took control of the airplane, and conducted a "steep" turn to land on the approach runway. The pilot stated that they "had too much airspeed and floated almost halfway down the runway." Upon touchdown, the pilot reported "hydroplaning" on the wet runway. The airplane departed the end of the runway, slid down a grassy hill, and came to rest in a ditch, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall. The CFI stated "there was some confusion" regarding who was at the controls during touchdown, and he "should have taken over sooner" than he did. The pilot and the CFI reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures. The nearest weather reporting station, located approximately 15 nautical miles north of the accident site, reported winds from 310 degrees at 3 knots and 10 miles visibility around the time of the accident. The report also indicated that rain had ended about 15 minutes prior to the accident.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA09CA539