Lancaster Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17543
Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the landing roll on runway 31, the student pilot of the Cessna 172P, depressed the brakes and felt the left brake "sinking." He then applied both brakes again, and the airplane veered to the right, into the grass. As the airplane departed the right side of the runway, it struck a runway light and a taxiway sign. The student pilot reported 41 hours of total flight experience, 7 of which were as pilot-in-command. He reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, and no preimpact anomalies with the brake system. The winds reported at the airport approximately 40 minutes prior to the accident, were from 300 degrees at 5 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Lancaster
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17543
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 400730N
Event Location Longitude 0761775W
Event Location Airport Lancaster Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LNS
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 403
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID LNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 403
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
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
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24150
NTSB Notification Source Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 28 2008 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N52632
NTSB Number NYC08CA220
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17274571
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7369
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PL Aviation LLP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 30030 Surfside Dr.
Aircraft Owner City Bethany Beach
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19930
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Washington Flying Club
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Gaithersburg
Operator State MD
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 20879
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GAI
Departure City Gaithersburg
Departure State MD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LNS
Destination City Lancaster
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 21 2008 4:23PM
User who most recently changed record grer
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 4102
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --