Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172R near Immokalee, FL — 2012-05-11

Final reportERA12CA330
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Date
2012-05-11
Location
Immokalee, FL, USA
Airport
IMM
Aircraft
CESSNA 172R
Registration
N5253B
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go landing.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot demonstrated three successful touch-and-go landings. After the third touch-and-go landing, the flight instructor deplaned, and the student pilot successfully performed eight solo touch-and-go landings on the same runway. The student pilot reported that while he was on final approach for the ninth solo touch-and-go landing, he heard the pilot of a helicopter announce the intention to fly over the landing runway. The student pilot announced that he had the helicopter in sight and advised of his intention to perform a touch-and-go landing on the runway. The student pilot landed and said he then applied full throttle before retracting the flaps. The airplane started to drift to the left and the right wing lifted, so the student pilot reduced the power to idle and applied aft control yoke then waited for the airplane to come to rest. The flight instructor reported seeing the helicopter fly over the airplane while it was on the runway during the landing roll. The flight instructor also noted that the student pilot had not retracted the flaps and saw the airplane veer sharply to the left and then cart wheel, coming to rest upright. The operator reported there was no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the airplane. Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed damage to the firewall.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Student pilot could have aborted landing upon seeing helicopter overhead.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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