# Accident 19970629016239A: Cessna 152, Gorman, TX, June 29, 1997 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 29, 1997, 15:45 local time - Place: Gorman, TX - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.2107° N, 98.6708° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2107&lon=-98.6708&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6099L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6099L-2013-06-03) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 152 (registry code 2071835, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 - Reported engine: LYC O235L2C - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 200 total, 200 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA243) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970629016239A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. STUDENT OBSERVED FUEL GAGE FLUX AND LOW RADIO RECXMT. NO ELECTRICAL DEFECT. THOUGH SHOULD LAND BUT USED SANDY FIELD (-23) ON JUNE 26, 1997 A CESSNA 152 N6099L PILOTED BY A STUDENT PILOT, MS. CHARLOTTE JACKSON, OF TEMPLE TEXAS MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT APPROXIMATELY 1545 CST IN A FRESHLY PLOWED, LOOSE SANDY FIELD NEAR GORMAN, TEXAS. MS. JACKSON STATED SHE BELIEVED SHE HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM DUE TO FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATION AND WEAK RADIO SIGNALS IN BOTH THE TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE MODE ON HER LAST LEG FLOWN FROM BRECKENRIDGE TO BROWNWOOD, TEXAS. AT AN ALTITUDE OF BETWEEN 2,000 AND 1,500 FEET AGL SHE BEGAN HER SEARCH FOR A PLACE TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT. SHE STATED SHE SEARCHED FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND DECIDED ON THE FIELD IN WHICH SHE LANDED DUE TO IT'S PROXIMITY TO A RURAL ROAD AND BY THE FACT THAT NO BUSHES OR TREES WERE IN THE FIELD. UPON TOUCHING DOWN IN THE FIELD THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER ON IT'S BAKC AND WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. MS. JACKSON SUSTAINED ONLY MINOR INJURIES. MS. JACKSON STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE OPERATION OF THE ENGINE, AND ON HER APPROACH TO THE FIELD SHE USED FULL FLAPS WHICH ARE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED. THERE WAS NO PROBLE M ENCOUNTERED WITH FLAP OPERATION. MS. JACKSON HAD PURCHASED 10.5 GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL AT THE MINERAL WELLS, TEXAS AIRPORT AND BELIEVED SHE HAD APPROXIMATELY 7 TO 10 GALLONS ON BOARD PRIOR TO THE FUELING WHICH MEANT THE TANKS WERE NOT COMPLETELY FULL ON DEPARTURE. IT IS BELIEVED THAT MS. JACKSON, DUE TO HER LIMITED EXPERIENCE OBSERVED FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATION DUE TO THE FUEL TANKS BEING ABOUT HALF FULL OF FUEL AND THE GAUGES FOLLOWING ELECTRICAL SIGNALS FROM THE FUEL TRANSMITTERS ATTACHED TO THE FLOATS IN THE FUEL TANKS. THE FUEL SLOSHING FROM SIDE TO SIDE CAN CAUSE THE GAUGES TO FLUCTUATE. ALSO SINCE SHE WAS AT A RELATIVE LOW ALTITUDE IN RELATION TO THE TERRAIN SHE WAS OVER HER RADIO SIGNAL CAPABILITY COULD HAVE BEEN REDUCED DUE TO THE HILLS IN THE AREA BETWEEN HER AND THE STATION SHE WAS UTILIZING. SINCE THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM ON THE VOLTMETER OR AMMETER, AND THE FACT THAT THE ELECTRIC FLAPS OPERATED NORMALLY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW97LA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA243), Jun 29, 1997: Cessna 152 (N6099L), Gorman, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student pilot's improper inflight planning/decision, and selection of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing. Factors relating to the accident were: a fluctuation in the electrical… ## Other reports on N6099L (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20091108020339I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091108020339I), Nov 8, 2009: Cessna 152 (N6099L), Tishomingo, OK, Minor damage. Pilot obtained weather briefing prior to departure. Pilot departed cassville municipal airport in cassville, MO for paris, TX at 10:45AM local time. Enroute to… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.