Cessna 172 N9868Q

Summary

On 10 December 2015 at about 16:45 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N9868Q was involved in an accident near Abilene, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 December 2015 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Abilene, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Elmdale Airpark (82TS)

Coordinates

32.4508, -99.6483

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N9868Q

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Abilene → Abilene

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA076

2 people had minor injuries.

The student pilot's abrupt control inputs during the flare, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's lack of over sight and delayed reaction while landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor reported that during a simulated power off emergency landing, the student pilot flared "too abruptly" causing the airplane to balloon about 20 feet above the ground. The flight instructor reported that the student pilot applied full power, placed the carburetor heat to the closed positioned, and "pitched up". The flight instructor reported that he did not react to the control inputs of the student pilot "fast" enough. The airplane stalled, rotated left, and impacted the ground with the left wing. The student pilot reported that while landing he applied back pressure on the yoke during flare, but "must have pulled back too much", causing the airplane to balloon. He reported that he attempted to allow the airplane to settle back to the runway. The student pilot reported that the flight instructor said that "he had the controls". The student pilot removed his left hand from the yoke, his feet away from the rudder pedals, and took his right hand away from the throttle. The student pilot reported that the flight instructor added full power to attempt to go-around subsequently the airplane turned left and the left wing impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to left wing and fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.