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GAA16CA011

2015-10-01 · McMinnville, Oregon, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MMV

Current FAA registration · N20488

Make / Model
CESSNA 172M
Year of manufacture
1973 · 42 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19730122
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A1A470

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The flight instructor's failure to correct the student pilot's approach path during the final approach, which resulted in a collision with runway threshold lights. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's failure to attain and maintain the recommended approach path.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that on his first night training flight he was practicing takeoffs and landings. He stated that during his third approach, as he was turning from base to final, the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) displayed four red lights, indicating that he was below the recommended approach path. The flight instructor told him that he was too low and to add power. The student pilot added power and the far left PAPI light started to turn from red to white. He reported that on short final, he reduced engine power to idle and that during touchdown, the airplane collided with a runway threshold light. The airplane sustained substantial damage to horizontal stabilizer spar. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that on his first night training flight he was practicing takeoffs and landings. He stated that during his third approach, as he was turning from base to final, the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) displayed four red lights, indicating that he was below the recommended approach path. The flight instructor told him that he was too low and to add power. The student pilot added power and the far left PAPI light started to turn from red to white. He reported that on short final, he reduced engine power to idle and that during touchdown, the airplane collided with a runway threshold light. The airplane sustained substantial damage to horizontal stabilizer spar. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Lack of action-Instructor/check pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained - C
  • F Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained - F
  • F Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - F
  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Instructor/check pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_GAA16CA011.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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