NTSB Factual Report

On April 5, 2001, at 1557 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N65630, was substantially damaged from collision with a fence and terrain during an aborted landing at the Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT), Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at the Reading Regional Airport (RDG), Reading, Pennsylvania. No flight plan was filed for the business flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot provided a written statement and was interviewed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. The pilot said the purpose of the flight was to fly to Reading on business, and return to Williamsport. According to the inspector's summary of interview, the pilot stated:

"Upon landing and just after touchdown on [Runway] 12 at IPT, the plane began to drift right on the runway. I touched down between 60-70 KPH [knots]. The pattern was flown at 70 and touchdown was in the center of the runway with the plane lined up on centerline. As the plane drifted to the right towards the grass infield, I initiated a go around, gave full throttle, raised the flaps, and notified ATC of a go-around.

"I tried to gain speed and keep the plane going straight out over the grass infield. However, the plane did not develop lift and started to turn left. I tried to hold the plane straight and level to develop speed, and could not gain altitude.

"The stall warning sounded briefly, before hitting a fence and coming to rest next to the railroad. The plane did not gain anymore than 10-15 feet of altitude after adding full throttle."

During a telephone interview, the pilot said the flight from Williamsport to Reading earlier in the day was uneventful. He said the return flight to Williamsport went as planned and that he entered the traffic pattern to land on Runway 12. He stated that he deployed full flaps (30 degrees) for the landing. According to the pilot:

"When I came over the numbers I was a little high; maybe 25 feet. I brought it down from there a little quicker than I wanted to and picked up some speed. The right wheel touched down before the left, we swerved right, and we started to roll towards the infield.

"As the infield started to come in, I decided to go around. I added full power and it yawed left. The prop effect, the 'P' factor, took it to the left and we departed the left side of the runway.

"We continued about a quarter-mile when I saw we were going to hit the fence and the boxcar. Just as I lifted the nose to clear the fence and the boxcar, I heard the stall warning horn.

"The whole time I thought [the plane] was going to take off. Until it hit the fence, I thought we were going to climb."

When asked if the flaps were retracted fully during the aborted landing, the pilot responded:

"Yes. I applied full throttle, flaps up, and carb heat in."

During telephone interviews, both passengers stated that this was their first flight in a small airplane. The front seat passenger said that upon landing, the airplane "…veered to the right and fishtailed." The passenger stated that the pilot then added power, but the airplane did not climb. The back seat passenger said, "We landed and we started to go back up, but we never went back up."

The pilot reported that the radios sounded "scratchy", but that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.

The pilot was issued a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land in October 1999. He reported 156 hours of flight experience, of which 60 hours were in the Cessna 172.

The pilot stated that he obtained a weather briefing prior to departure, but did not do any performance planning for the flight.

The weather at Williamsport, at 1554, was clear skies with winds from 230 degrees at 3 knots.

According to the Cessna Information Manual for the Model 172P, Balked Landing:

"In a balked landing (go around) climb, reduce the flap setting to 20 [degrees] immediately after full power is applied. If obstacles must be cleared during the go-around climb, reduce the wing flap setting to 10 [degrees] and maintain a safe airspeed until the obstacles are cleared. After clearing any obstacles, the flaps may be retracted as the airplane accelerates to the normal flaps-up climb speed."

The checklist procedure for BALKED LANDING, was:

1. Throttle - FULL OPEN

2. Carburetor Heat - COLD

3. Wing Flaps - 20 degrees (immediately)

4. Climb speed - 55 KIAS

5. Wing Flaps - 10 degrees (until obstacles are cleared). RETRACT (after reaching a safe altitude and 60 KIAS)

According to the FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge:

"The effect of torque increases in direct proportion to engine power, airspeed, and airplane attitude. If the power setting is high, the airspeed slow, and the angle of attack high, the effect of torque is greater. During takeoffs and climbs, when the effect of torque is most pronounced, the pilot must apply sufficient right rudder pressure to counteract the left-turning tendency and maintain a straight takeoff path."

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's premature raising of flaps resulting in his failure to establish a climb and his failure to maintain directional control.