Cessna 172 N4642J accident near Inverness, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain directional control during landing.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor reported that, with the pilot receiving instruction at the flight controls, the airplane veered left during the landing roll and that he then took the flight controls. He added full power and reduced flaps, but the airplane continued to veer left and exited the runway. Subsequently, the airplane impacted a ditch, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane then came to rest inverted.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.

The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The instructor reported that the wind was from 170° at 8 knots. The airport’s automated weather observation station reported that, about 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 140° at 4 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 19.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA19CA081 for the full record.