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ERA11CA144

2011-02-14 · Plattsburgh, New York, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport KPBG

Current FAA registration · N2593L

Make / Model
CESSNA 172H
Year of manufacture
1967 · 44 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER (145 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19670125
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A27BB9

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's loss of directional control during the landing flare in gusting wind conditions and the certified flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

Factual narrative

The flight instructor and student reported that they were practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings, and during the second approach, the airplane's airspeed and altitude decreased further than intended. Subsequently, the left wing contacted the runway resulting in substantial damage to the left wing tip. The flight instructor took control and landed the airplane. While taxiing to the ramp, they observed that the winds had increased more than reported. The winds recorded at the airport, prior to and after the accident, were variable from the west and south at 7 to 10 knots, and gusting up to 17 knots. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot reported that they were practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. During the second approach, the airplane's airspeed and altitude decreased more than they intended. The left wing contacted the runway resulting in substantial damage. The CFI took authority over the flight controls and landed the airplane. While taxiing to the ramp, they observed that the wind had increased more than reported. The recorded wind conditions at the airport, prior to and after the accident, were variable from 7 to 10 knots, with gusts to 17 knots. The CFI reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. 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-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Response/compensation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_ERA11CA144.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (icing). All research papers