Accident Details
On September 19, 2014, at approximately 1100 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M (registration N13394) was substantially damaged during a runway excursion while landing at Leesburg International Airport (LEE), Leesburg, Florida. The flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight, which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
Sequence of Events
The CFI and student were practicing touch-and-go landings in the airport traffic pattern. On the fifth landing, the student landed to the right of the runway centerline. The CFI described the landing as "soft" and said the airplane's speed at touchdown was "slow." The student applied left rudder to steer back to centerline, but the airplane continued drifting left. The CFI took control and applied right rudder, which "had no effect," then applied right brake. The airplane did not respond and continued off the left side of the runway, where it struck a sign and came to rest upright in the grass. The CFI noted that it had rained earlier and the runway was wet at the time.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane. The left main landing gear had collapsed aft, and the left portion of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator were substantially damaged. No tire skid marks were observed on the runway, but tire tracks were evident in the grass for about 250 feet from the runway to the resting point. All three tires were properly inflated and turned freely. Rudder control system continuity was established from cockpit to rudder with no anomalies. Nose landing gear steering rods remained attached. Brake examination revealed no anomalies.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The CFI held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine land, rotorcraft-helicopter, and instrument airplane and helicopter; and a flight instructor certificate for airplane single-engine. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued in May 2011. He reported 413 total flight hours, with 120 hours in the accident airplane make and model.
The airplane was manufactured in 1973 and had accumulated 5,848.2 total hours at its last 100-hour inspection on July 23, 2014.
Weather Conditions
The 1053 weather observation at LEE included wind from 60 degrees at 5 knots, overcast at 11,000 feet, temperature 27°C, dew point 23°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.01 inches of mercury.