Ohio University Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Athens, Ohio 45710
Monday, June 9, 2008 10:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was substantially damaged when it departed the paved runway surface and struck a ditch, resulting in damage to the firewall and forward fuselage. The student pilot reported that the accident flight was his first solo flight without an instructor aboard. Immediately prior to the accident flight, the student and his instructor had made a flight which included landing practice. Subsequent to the accident flight, the instructor endorsed the student pilot's logbook authorizing the solo flight. The student pilot reported that he flew a traffic pattern approach to landing. After touchdown, he inadvertently added power to do a touch and go rather than a full stop landing. Upon realizing that he was to make a full stop landing, he reduced power and applied the brakes. He reported that the nose wheel began to shimmy, and he applied the brakes harder. The airplane subsequently went off the side of the runway into the grass, and struck a ditch before coming to a stop.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. A factor contributing to the accident was a nose wheel vibration.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/9/2008
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1020
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Athens
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45710
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 391243N
Event Location Longitude 0821345W
Event Location Airport OHIO UNIVERSITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID UNI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23870
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 9 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2008 9:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Columbus, Ohio

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N230U
NTSB Number CHI08CA159
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17275380
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ohio University
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Alabny
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code UNI
Departure City Athens
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 30 2008 5:14PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 5600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --