Cessna 172 N3969L

Summary

On 3 May 2015 at about 15:34 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N3969L was involved in an accident near Penn Yan, New York, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 May 2015 at 15:34

Classification

Accident

Location

Penn Yan, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Penn Yan (PEO)

Coordinates

42.6336, -77.0511

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N3969L

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seneca Falls → Penn Yan

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15FA203

1 person died.

The student pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the student's inappropriate configuration of the airplane's wing flaps for the initial climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

On the morning of the accident, the student pilot departed from his home airport and flew to two other airports before returning to his home airport. None of these cross-country flights were conducted under the supervision of a flight instructor nor was there any documentation available to show that the student was endorsed to conduct these flights. Upon reaching his home airport, the student pilot entered the traffic pattern to land on the 5,500-ft-long runway with a prevailing right quartering tailwind. A pilot-rated witness reported that he saw the airplane approach the runway "high and fast," that it was about 100 to 150 ft above the ground as it crossed over the runway threshold, and that it then appeared to "float" down the runway. He then lost sight of the airplane. Another witness noted that, after touching down near the midpoint of the runway, the airplane lifted off and reached about 50 ft above the ground, at which point, the engine power increased. The airplane then began climbing steeply and then banked left, making an arcing flightpath that continued to ground contact. Based on available evidence, the investigation was unable to determine whether the pilot was attempting to conduct a go-around following the previous landing approach, or was conducting a touch-and-go landing when the accident occurred. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although fuel drained from the airplane after the accident contained water, witness statements and wreckage signatures were consistent with the engine operating normally to ground impact. The flaps were found extended 40°; however, airplane manufacturer guidance stated that during a go-around climb, the "flap setting should be reduced to 20° immediately after full power is applied" and that "flap settings of 30° to 40° are not recommended at any time for takeoff." It is likely that the inappropriate flap setting for the initial climb contributed to the student pilot's failure to maintain airplane control. Although the student pilot's autopsy identified the presence of coronary artery disease that could have caused acute symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, or fainting, there was no evidence of any such event occurring.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.