Cessna 172 N53576

Summary

On 1 February 2009 at about 17:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N53576, operated by J.S. Aviation Inc., was involved in an accident near Union Mills, Indiana, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 February 2009 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Union Mills, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Flying U Ranch (4C1)

Coordinates

41.4539, -86.7922

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N53576

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

J.S. Aviation Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Valparaso → Valparaso

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA148

Nobody was injured.

The certificated flight instructor's failure to follow correct engine clearing procedures. A factor was the unsuitable landing area.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot departed on an introductory instructional flight towards a training area where they performed basic flight maneuvers. They then flew to an airport where the CFI demonstrated a simulated forced landing which was to be followed by a go-around to a runway that was reportedly covered with about 12-14 inches of snow. During the demonstration, the CFI reduced engine power to idle from an altitude of 2,000 feet mean sea level and executed a descent to an altitude of about 5 - 6 feet above ground level at 60 knots indicated airspeed. The CFI did not increase engine throttle during this descent to clear the engine. The CFI applied full throttle during the go-around, but the engine hesitated and the airplane continued to descend. The main landing gear wheels followed by the airplane's nose contacted the snow. The left wing contacted the ground followed by the right wing.. Both wings buckled, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The Federal Aviation Administration Flight Training Handbook states in the section under 'Descents (Maximum Distance Glides)' that during power-off descents, the engine should be cleared periodically to prevent excessive cooling and fouling.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.