| Crash location | Unknown |
| Nearest city | Ann Arbor, MI
42.270872°N, 83.726329°W |
| Tail number | N714UA |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 20 Jan 2001 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 152 |
| Additional details: | None |
On January 20, 2001, at 0945 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N714UA, operated by a certified flight instructor (CFI) collided with a snow bank while landing on runway 06 (3,500 feet by 75 feet, dry asphalt) at the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Neither the CFI nor the student pilot was injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 local instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated at the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport at 0930 eastern standard time.
The CFI reported the purpose of the flight was for the student to practice takeoffs and landings. The CFI reported stated that the first landing was right of the runway centerline and a "bit rough." The CFI reported, "As we climbed out we discussed, again, doing a go-around if things didn't look or feel right." The CFI continued to report that during the second landing approach, they were getting a little low. The student added power so the CFI didn't say anything. "On short final, my student pulled the power to idle. I saw what was happening. We were sinking. The runway was right there and I thought that we would make it, just for a moment. When I realized we may not, I couldn't react quick enough to save us."
The airplane touched down in the snow approximately 10 feet prior to the approach end of the runway. The airplane then contacted a hard snow bank, which was situated between the runway end lights and the surface of the runway. The CFI reported that this caused the nose gear to be pushed under the belly and the right main gear was pulled back separating the wheel assembly. The propeller contacted the runway surface and the airplane slid 200 feet on the runway prior to coming to rest.
The CFI's delay in iniating remedial action to arrest the sink rate which developed on final approach. Factors associated with the accident were the student pilot failed to maintain a proper glidepath on final approach and the snow bank which the airplane contacted.