Cessna 172N N545DS

Summary

On 2 October 2010 at about 22:38 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N545DS, operated by Graham Aviation Services, was involved in an accident near Salem, Oregon, 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

2 October 2010 at 22:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Salem, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

McNary Field (SLE)

Coordinates

44.9250, -123.0000

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N545DS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Graham Aviation Services

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salem → Salem

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11CA008

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the student pilot, he planned to practice solo takeoffs and landings at the airplane's base airport. He reported that he made the initial takeoff on runway 34, and completed a right-hand circuit of the traffic pattern. On final approach, he increased the flap setting to 30 degrees. After main gear touchdown, the airplane began to drift to the left. The pilot reported that he attempted to correct the drift with rudder input, but there was "no effect," prior and subsequent to nose gear touchdown. The pilot determined that the brakes were functional, but he chose not to use them to assist with directional control, due to his concern about causing "the airplane to cartwheel." About 2,000 feet beyond the landing threshold, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, and struck a runway sign. The pilot was uninjured, but the airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot also reported that at the time of the accident, the winds were from 350 degrees at 3 knots. The automated weather observation taken about 18 minutes after the accident included winds from 340 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot stated that the preflight inspection, takeoff, and traffic pattern were normal, and he had no reason to believe the airplane malfunctioned. Post-accident examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-accident mechanical anomalies, and a Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that the rudder, nose wheel steering, and brake systems appeared to be functional. The pilot reported 44 total hours of flight experience in all aircraft. Approximately 17 hours had been accumulated in the make and model airplane involved in the accident. One hour was logged as pilot-in-command.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.