| Crash location | 42.330000°N, 88.079167°W |
| Nearest city | Grayslake, IL
42.344466°N, 88.041746°W 2.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N389SP |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 11 Apr 2003 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 172S |
| Additional details: | None |
On April 11, 2003, at 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N389SP, nosed over following a loss of directional control while landing on runway 27 (3,270 feet by 40 feet, dry asphalt) at the Campbell Airport, Grayslake, Illinois. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and the student pilot were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from Waukegan (UGN), Illinois, at 1230.
The CFI reported the student was circling to land on runway 9 because of wind conditions reported at UGN. The CFI stated that when she reported their intention to land, a person on the ground reported the winds from the northwest at five knots. The CFI noted the student entered a pattern for runway 27 and everything seemed normal while on final approach. The CFI reported the student was landing on the runway centerline, but was about 10 knots fast and the student's "flare was minimal creating a flat landing." The CFI stated she pulled back on the yoke, the airplane became airborne, and she established another flare. The CFI reported the airplane touched down on the left side of the runway and continued to veer to the left. The CFI reported the airplane veered into the mud at the side of the runway and she stated to the student, "I have the controls." The CFI stated the airplane came to a sudden stop and the airplane nosed over.
The student reported she "flared too soon" while landing and the airplane bounced. The student reported the CFI pulled up on the yoke and the airplane drifted about 20 feet to the left. The student stated she "was not certain who was on the controls." She reported that as the nose wheel touched down it jammed into the mud and the airplane nosed over.
The CFI reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane or the airplane's engine prior to the accident.
A weather reporting station 11 miles to the east-northeast of the accident side reported the winds at 1255 from 050 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 18 knots.
The flight instuctor's improper in-flight decision to land with a tailwind and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the tailwind, the student pilot's inadequate flare, and the muddy terrain.