Cessna 172P N162HD incident near Kelley'S Island, Ohio

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's selection of the wrong runway and a tailwind.

NTSB analysis

THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED JULY 15, 2008.

The pilot reported the winds were from the southwest at 7 knots when he attempted to land on runway 27. He reported he made a go around during his first landing attempt because he was too high and fast. He entered the traffic pattern again using a lower altitude and a slower airspeed. He stated he used full flaps and touched down approximately 500 feet down the runway at 60 to 65 knots. He stated the airplane was in full contact with the runway when he applied the brakes and the airplane began to skid. He stated he released the brakes and reapplied them, but the airplane continued to skid. The pilot reported the airplane slowed slightly, but it continued off the end of the runway into the grass. The nose gear contacted the edge of a roadway and the nose gear strut collapsed vertically damaging the firewall reinforcement panel. The skid marks on the runway began approximately 656 from the west end of the runway. These marks were approximately 30 feet in length. The marks then stopped for about 30 feet prior to the beginning of additional intermittent skid marks. The airplane came to rest 284 feet from the departure end of the runway. The reported winds in the area varied from 160 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 16 knots, to 210 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The Ohio State Highway Patrol Sergeant who responded to the accident reported the winds were out of the southeast at 10 knots. Photos taken by the Sergeant showed the windsock indicating a wind out of the east.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CHI08IA113 for the full record.