Spinning the 172 is a non-event. With flaps down, it's more of an event. Sadly not generally taught. Though it's far more likely to happen low and slow with flaps deployed.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dSrjVR0MvE

A lot of things like this are found using common sense. If you are wondering if it is normal for a part/wing/skin to look like that, ask an engineer. One that I can add for most Cessnas is: have a close look at the flap tracks. If the top inside edge is flattened or shows indentations, that's a clear sign of a significant flap overspeed situation.

Recent C172 spin accident.
 

NTSB link. If they had parachutes, they didn't get out.

https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...relim&IType=FA

From the C 172 POH Limitations section( all models)

The same note is also in the C 150 and C 152 POH's.

Wow. It appears from the preliminary report that they had done everything correctly regarding preparing the aircraft for spinning. The eyewitnesses reported that the spin was "slow". What would cause that? Could they have been in a spiral dive instead of a spin?

BPF

That's exactly what I was alluding to in post #34. No one seemed to take any notice.

At risk of stating the very obvious, but I don't think that anybody else has.


If you don't want to spin a C172, don't spin a C172.

There is no requirement at PPL or CPL level to spin - certainly in the UK and USA, and hasn't been for many years. The only thing needed is an awareness of the spin, ability to fly under control at low speeds, and the ability to recover from actual and incipient stalls.

There is no safety or training reason, unless you are doing an instructors course on it, to spin a C172. So don't.

G

Well said! I may have said something similar on an earlier post in which I pointed out the POH permits spinning but you have painted a fuller picture.
However, that said, there is a growing demand for "upset training" and in my view that should be conducted in aerobatic machines. We have satisfied some demand with our Extra 200 and wouldn't dream of using the 172s!

I know we are talking about spinning but the point I was trying to make was I believe a better exercise is stalling in the landing configuration than full spin recovery training. That is with flaps down and 1500 rpm and just let the speed bleed off a 150/2 will abruptly drop the starboard wing and try to enter a spin so how to correct and recover is very important as this is the classic stall spin on turning finals especially in a left hand turn. At no time did we enter an actual spin, I just screwed up the recovery the first time, lost 1500ft that would have put me 1000ft below ground level if turning on to finals. Only lost 300ft second time. The recovery from this configuration stall has to be quick and instinctive, if you have to think about it your dead. In a 172 with a rear C of G it might be even more exciting and none recoverable. I think it is a more important exercise than full spin recovery training. It made a lasting impression on me so I all ways add a little air speed in the turns 5 knots and I watch speed in turns especially when a passenger as I note many pilots seem to bleed speed in turns at low power. Killed a friend who attempted a return to field after a takeoff engine failure stalled in from 100ft in the final turn.