19980131000849A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172N · Valdosta, GA · January 31, 1998

Date: January 31, 1998 · 11:15 local
Place: Valdosta, GA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N738YK
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA98LA063
Reported as: Cessna 172N
Reported engine: Lycoming O320H2AD
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 31 total21 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N738YKRegistration cancelled Aug 31, 1998 · Cessna 172NS/N 17270340 Airframe modelCessna 172N

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.

Student lost control on spiral descent and impacted ground. Maneuver performed too low for timely recovery. (.4)the student pilot had flown low over his father who was on a tractor in a field near the crash site. The student then climbed to 3,000 feet where he performed a departure stall, followed by a descending spiral. He stated that while descending he became disoriented and did not recover from the descending spiral before impact with the ground. He further stated that he had buzzed someone on an earlier flight and was advised by his flight instructor not to do so again. He also stated that there was no airframe or engine preimpact failure or malfunction.

As the FAA filed it

STUDENT LOST CONTROL ON SPIRAL DESCENT AND IMPACTED GROUND. MANEUVER PERFORMED TOO LOW FOR TIMELY RECOVERY. (.4)THE STUDENT PILOT HAD FLOWN LOW OVER HIS FATHER WHO WAS ON A TRACTOR IN A FIELD NEAR THE CRASH SITE. THE STUDENT THEN CLIMBED TO 3,000 FEET WHERE HE PERFORMED A DEPARTURE STALL, FOLLOWED BY A DESCENDING SPIRAL. HE STATED THAT WHILE DESCENDING HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND DID NOT RECOVER FROM THE DESCENDING SPIRAL BEFORE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD BUZZED SOMEONE ON AN EARLIER FLIGHT AND WAS ADVISED BY HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOT TO DO SO AGAIN. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO AIRFRAME OR ENGINE PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

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 MIA98LA063Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportValdosta, GAThe failure of the student to recover (pull-up) from the intentional maneuver resulting in the in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the ostentatious display by the student.Jan 31, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N738YK · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19950831036849ITakeoff Ground Roll · Valdosta, GALost directional control on first solo second takeoff. Struck runway sign.Aug 31, 1995 · Minor damage Accident 19790218003169AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Sabin, MNEngine stopped on cross-country flight. Landed in deep snow,flipped over. Cause unknown.Feb 18, 1979 · Substantial damage