Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172N near Longmont, CO — 2022-07-30

Final reportCEN22LA362
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Date
2022-07-30
Location
Longmont, CO, USA
Airport
LMO
Aircraft
CESSNA 172N
Registration
N6587E
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s failure to properly supervise the student pilot, which resulted in a continued unstablized approach for landing, and the instructor’s delayed recovery that resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor stated that the approach during the student’s fifth landing became unstable. The airplane was near the runway edge when the instructor told the student pilot to initiate a go-around. The instructor said that full engine power was applied, but there was no major increase in thrust. The flight instructor then took the controls from the student but was unable to regain control of the airplane. The airplane then impacted the ground alongside the runway and sustained substantial damage to the wings. Postaccident examination of the airframe and testing of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have resulted in the engine not producing full power.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Instructor could have aborted the landing earlier to prevent unstable approach.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

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