Cessna 172 N12614 accident near Lawton, Oklahoma

Probable cause

The private pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall, and the failure of both pilots to initiate a go-around. Contributing to the severity of both pilots' injuries was the lack of available shoulder harnesses.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot was completing a biennial flight review with a flight instructor. He was demonstrating a simulated short, soft-field landing over a simulated 50-foot obstacle on a 8,599-foot-long by 150-foot-wide concrete runway. The pilot allowed the airspeed to decrease to 40 knots at 50 feet above the runway and both the pilot and flight instructor failed to execute a go-around. The airplane then stalled, landed hard, and came to rest approximately 175 feet from the initial impact point. There was substantial damage to the engine mounts, nose gear and the firewall. There was a postimpact fuel spill, but no postimpact fire. Both pilots exited the airplane unassisted. The private pilot received minor injuries and the flight instructor received serious injuries. Because of the airplane's year of manufacture shoulder harness installation was not required and none were installed.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN10CA199 for the full record.