N249ER

Substantial
None

CESSNA 172NS/N: 17269782

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, November 14, 2010
NTSB Number
ERA11CA061
Location
Gaithersburg, MD
Event ID
20101115X02256
Coordinates
39.167778, -77.159446
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot's inadequate use of the rudder, and subsequent loss of directional control.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N249ER
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
17269782
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1977
Model / ICAO
172NC172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
W I F A (WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT ACAD) LLC
Address
211 CENTERVILLE RD
STE 120 PMB 7055
Status
Deregistered
City
WILMINGTON
State / Zip Code
DE 19808
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the student pilot, he completed a "stabilized" approach to runway 14, with the airspeed 5 knots higher than the prescribed approach speed due to the wind conditions. During the landing flare, the pilot "felt wind shear that caused the touchdown,and the airplane ballooned back into the air to about 20 feet." The student pilot then added power to slow the descent, and the airplane "ballooned again with some drift to the left." The student pilot then decided to go around, and as he "applied full power without adding rudder," the airplane veered to the left and departed the left side of the runway. The student pilot then reduced power in an attempt to regain directional control of the airplane, but it continued forward until the nose landing gear collapsed and it came to rest in a grassy area to the left of the runway. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred substantial damage to the firewall and left wing. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 150 degrees at 8 knots.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA061