NTSB Factual Report

On February 26, 2005, at 1620 central standard time, a Cessna 172K, N7325G, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during an in-flight collision with the terrain during an aborted landing from runway 17 (3,775 feet by 60 feet, dry asphalt) at the Portage Municipal Airport (C47), Portage, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported serious injuries and the passenger reported minor injuries. The local flight departed C47 at an unconfirmed time.

The pilot reported that the accident flight was with a prospective new flying club member. The pilot stated that the club required new members complete a check-out flight with a current member. The prospective new member (passenger) held a student pilot certificate and had flown solo prior to the accident flight. The pilot held a private pilot certificate and had accumulated 73 hours as pilot-in-command (PIC). The pilot was not a flight instructor and was acting as PIC for the entire flight. The pilot was seated at the right pilot station and the passenger was seated at the left pilot station. The pilot reported that he had "never piloted from the right position before."

The pilot reported that the passenger flew three landing approaches and each attempt terminated in a go-around maneuver. After the third landing attempt, the passenger asked the pilot to "demonstrate a landing." The pilot stated that he assumed aircraft control during the downwind leg for runway 17. He reported his final approach was flown with full flaps and an uneventful touchdown was made on the runway. He stated that during rollout the airplane "started to veer toward the right" and that he "incorrectly applied the right rudder instead of left." The pilot decided to perform an aborted landing in order to "demonstrate a better landing." The pilot reported he applied full engine power and "lifted the flaps briefly (but not fully)." He stated that he thought the flaps were "up more" and that he became "flustered" as the airplane "pitched up." He reported that the airplane "stalled" about 30-50 feet above the ground, and that he was "able to pull the nose up so that we landed hard on the [landing] gear."

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the aborted landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall at a low altitude. Factors to the accident were the pilot's lack of experience flying from the right pilot station and his failure to maintain directional control during landing rollout.