Aviation Accident Summary NYC94LA115

Leesburg, VA, USA

Aircraft #1

N63021

CESSNA 172P

Analysis

THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DURING AN ABORTED LANDING AND NOSED DOWN ON THE ADJACENT GRASS. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT, 'ONCE I TOUCHED DOWN, THE PLANE TURNED TO TH LEFT. THINKING I WAS STILL IN THE AIR FLYING, I ADDED POWER TO GO AROUND. IN THE PROCESS, THE PLANE WENT OFF THE RUNWAY, ACROSS THE GRASS, AND HIT THE TAXIWAY. SO I PULLED BACK ON THE WHEEL, I STALLED THE PLANE, AND I ENDED UP IN THE GRASS, NOSE DOWN.' THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

Factual Information

On July 8, 1994, about 1530 eastern daylight time, N63021, a Cessna 172P airplane, a training flight, overran the side of the runway during landing at Leesburg Airport, Leesburg, Virginia. Visual meteorological conditions existed. The student pilot, the sole occupant, received no injuries. The airplane was destroyed. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot had 9 hours of solo time, and was returning from a solo cross country flight to Charlottesville, Virginia. After landing at Charlottseville, he had lunch and departed for Leesburg Airport. He reported no problems on the return flight to Leesburg. On final approach to runway 17, the student pilot saw the aircraft in front of him still on the runway. He initiated a go- around, and went around the pattern again with no difficulties. According to the student pilot, as he was on the landing roll out the plane veered left. "Once I touched down the plane turned to the left. Thinking I was still in the air flying, I added power to go around. In the process the plane went off the runway, across the grass and hit the taxiway. So I pulled back on the wheel, I stalled the plane and I ended up in the grass nose down. The pilot reported no mechanical problems.

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot's failure to attain adequate airpseed during an aborted landing which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with the ground. A factor is the the student pilot's inexperience.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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