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CEN16CA070

2015-11-20 · Rush City, Minnesota, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ROS

Current FAA registration · N1180U

Make / Model
CESSNA 172M
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19760309
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A04C56

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot did not maintain directional control of the airplane and applied excessive right rudder during landing.

Factual narrative

The student pilot was completing his first solo flight and had already done eight takeoffs and landings. On the ninth landing, the airspeed was higher than normal and the airplane porpoised. When the airplane touched down the student pilot applied excessive right rudder. The airplane veered right and departed the right side of the runway into the soft wet ground. The airplane nosed into the mud and then came to rest upright. The left wing impacted the ground and was substantially damaged. The operator reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot was completing his first solo flight and had already done eight takeoffs and landings. On the ninth landing, the airspeed was higher than normal and the airplane porpoised. When the airplane touched down the student pilot applied excessive right rudder. The airplane veered right and departed the right side of the runway into the soft wet ground. The airplane nosed into the mud and then came to rest upright. The left wing impacted the ground and was substantially damaged. The operator reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Student/instructed pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_CEN16CA070.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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