Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 175 near El Monte, CA — 2017-05-27

Final reportWPR17LA112
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Date
2017-05-27
Location
El Monte, CA, USA
Airport
EMT
Aircraft
CESSNA 175
Registration
N6832D
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's failure to maintain runway alignment on approach.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings during an instructional flight with a flight instructor on board. During the eighth landing, the airplane drifted to the right of the runway just before touchdown, and the flight instructor applied full left rudder to correct as the airplane touched down. The airplane's nose yawed to the right. The student applied full power, the airplane became airborne, and the stall horn activated. The flight instructor pushed the nose down, but the elevator control had "no travel." The instructor was unable to regain control, and the airplane subsequently settled back to the ground and impacted a drainage channel and trees. It could not be determined whether there was any communication or coordination between the student and the instructor that resulted in the student's application of engine power. Postaccident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the flight control system that would have precluded normal operation. Witness marks identified on the side of the fuselage revealed that the flaps were extended to 30o at the time of impact. It is likely that, by the time the flight instructor attempted to regain control in this configuration, the airplane was at or near its critical angle of attack, and the instructor was unable to regain control before the airplane experienced an aerodynamic stall, impacted the runway, and subsequently departed the runway surface.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
CFI could have taken control before the airplane drifted off the runway.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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