19970504007709A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172P · Austin, TX · May 4, 1997

Date: May 4, 1997 · 08:20 local
Place: Austin, TX
Airport: Executive Airpark Airport
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N53359
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97LA175
Reported as: Cessna 172P
Reported engine: Lycoming O320D2J
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 897 total8 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N53359Registration cancelled Jul 11, 1998 · Cessna 172PS/N 17274726 · Built 1981 Airframe modelCessna 172P Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Practicing touch and go landings when a gust of wind caused it to land hard and nose over. (.4)during a short field landing approach at 60 mph airspeed and full flaps as 'gusty winds lifted the left wing and the airplane rolled left,' the pilot applied full power; however, the airplane struck the ground. Winds were from the northeast at 6 to 8 knots and the approach was made to runway 36. A pilot, taxiing for departure, reported the airplane 'stalled striking the ground in a nose down and left wing down attitude' short of the runway. This pilot reported winds were light and variable at less than 5 knots. (-23) aircraft approached runway 360 on short final crosswind gust lifted right wing. Aircraft hit short of runway approximately 100 feet. Aircraft struck ground left wing low. Aircraft was on a FAR 91 flight for pilot proficiency. No injuries were sustained by the pilot or the one passenger. The aircraft was substantially damaged.

As the FAA filed it

PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WHEN A GUST OF WIND CAUSED IT TO LAND HARD AND NOSE OVER. (.4)DURING A SHORT FIELD LANDING APPROACH AT 60 MPH AIRSPEED AND FULL FLAPS AS 'GUSTY WINDS LIFTED THE LEFT WING AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED LEFT,' THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND. WINDS WERE FROM THE NORTHEAST AT 6 TO 8 KNOTS AND THE APPROACH WAS MADE TO RUNWAY 36. A PILOT, TAXIING FOR DEPARTURE, REPORTED THE AIRPLANE 'STALLED STRIKING THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN AND LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE' SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THIS PILOT REPORTED WINDS WERE LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT LESS THAN 5 KNOTS. (-23) AIRCRAFT APPROACHED RUNWAY 360 ON SHORT FINAL CROSSWIND GUST LIFTED RIGHT WING. AIRCRAFT HIT SHORT OF RUNWAY APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET. AIRCRAFT STRUCK GROUND LEFT WING LOW. AIRCRAFT WAS ON A FAR 91 FLIGHT FOR PILOT PROFICIENCY. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY THE PILOT OR THE ONE PASSENGER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97LA175Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAustin, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor was the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions.May 4, 1997 · Substantial damage