Cessna 172N N249ER

Summary

On 14 November 2010 at about 20:30 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N249ER, operated by WIFA (Washington International Flight Academy), was involved in an accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States. One person was 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

14 November 2010 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Montgomery County Airpark (GAI)

Coordinates

39.1678, -77.1594

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N249ER

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

WIFA (Washington International Flight Academy)

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Frederick → Gaithersburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11CA061

Nobody was injured.

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

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the student pilot, he completed a stabilized approach to the runway, with the airspeed 5 knots higher than the prescribed approach speed due to the 8 knot headwind condition. During the landing flare, the airplane encountered a gust of wind, and bounced on the runway. He said he added power to slow the descent, but the airplane ballooned again with some drift to the left. He decided to execute a 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. He then reduced the power in an attempt to regain directional control of the airplane, but it continued forward until the nose gear collapsed and the airplane 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 there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The wind reported at the airport about the time of the accident was from 150 degrees at 8 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.