Cessna 172M N64270

Summary

On 22 January 2012 at about 22:30 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N64270, operated by Kennewick Aircraft Services, Inc., was involved in an accident near Richland, Washington, 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

22 January 2012 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Richland, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Richland Airport (RLD)

Coordinates

46.3033, -119.3025

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N64270

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Kennewick Aircraft Services, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Richland → Richland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12CA079

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's improper landing flare and inadequate directional control during landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a solo flight, the student pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. On the third landing, the pilot did not pitch the nose up sufficiently, and the airplane touched down and began to porpoise and wheelbarrow on the nose wheel. He attempted to steer the airplane back toward the centerline of the runway but was unsuccessful, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. As the airplane left the pavement, it hit a snow berm and nosed over onto its back. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.