Cessna 172
Pella, IA — March 26, 2019
Event Information
| Date | March 26, 2019 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA19CA193 |
| Event ID | 20190327X95735 |
| Location | Pella, IA |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 41.40111, -92.94583 |
| Airport | Pella Muni |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | Cessna |
| Model | 172 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Probable Cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain the runway heading and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action during landing, which resulted in the instructor landing the airplane in grass left of the runway and a subsequent nose-over.
Full Narrative
The flight instructor reported that, during the landing with the student pilot on the flight controls, about 5 to 10 feet above the ground, a gust of wind caused the airplane to drift to the right. The instructor assumed control of the airplane, attempted to correct, applied full power, and initiated a go-around. The airplane was "low and slow" and the left main landing gear contacted the runway and the airplane drifted left. Concerned the airplane would not gain significant altitude to clear the buildings in the flight path, the instructor elected to land in the grass left of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane encountered soft terrain and nosed over.
The airplane sustained substantial damaged to the aft fuselage and rudder.
The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
About the time of the accident, the automated weather reporting station, located on the airport, reported that the wind was from 170° at 5 knots. The student pilot was landing the airplane on runway 16.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.