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19990428019992A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 172N · Las Cruces, NM · April 28, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 28, 1999 · 07:45 local
Place
Las Cruces, NM
Airport
Las Cruces International Airport
Phase of flight
Final Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision, second aircraft
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N738UF
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN99LA067
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Reported engine
Lycoming O320H2AD
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,806 total1,800 in this make and model113 in the last 90 days
N738UFRegistration cancelled Aug 20, 2018 · Cessna 172NS/N 17270242 · Built 1978Airframe modelCessna 172NEngine 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.

N46204 experienced an electrical failure shortly after takeoff, and the pilot returned for landing. Just prior to touching down on the runway, N46204 landed on top of N738UF. The pilot of N738UF was performing touch and go landings with his student, and had just touched down when N46204 landed on top of the right wing section. Witnesses reported that the pilot of N46204 requested assistance starting the airplane on the morning of the accident due to a low battery, and the aircraft was hand-propped. According to FAR par 91.113(b), 'when weather conditions permit... Vigilance shall be maintained by each person aoperating an airraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft.' In addition, according to FAR 91.113(g), 'when two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of landing, the aircraft at the tower altitude has the right-of-way, but it shall not take advantage of the rule to cut in front of another which is on final approach to land or to overtake that aircraft.' (-23)N738UF was performing touch and go landings and had just touched down for his second landing when N46204 landed on top of the right wing section. The propeller at N46204 caused substantial damage to right wing, right ailron and horizontal stabilizer.

As the FAA filed it

N46204 EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AND THE PILOT RETURNED FOR LANDING. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHING DOWN ON THE RUNWAY, N46204 LANDED ON TOP OF N738UF. THE PILOT OF N738UF WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WITH HIS STUDENT, AND HAD JUST TOUCHED DOWN WHEN N46204 LANDED ON TOP OF THE RIGHT WING SECTION. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT OF N46204 REQUESTED ASSISTANCE STARTING THE AIRPLANE ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT DUE TO A LOW BATTERY, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS HAND-PROPPED. ACCORDING TO FAR PAR 91.113(B), 'WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS PERMIT... VIGILANCE SHALL BE MAINTAINED BY EACH PERSON AOPERATING AN AIRRAFT SO AS TO SEE AND AVOID OTHER AIRCRAFT.' IN ADDITION, ACCORDING TO FAR 91.113(G), 'WHEN TWO OR MORE AIRCRAFT ARE APPROACHING AN AIRPORT FOR THE PURPOSE OF LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TOWER ALTITUDE HAS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, BUT IT SHALL NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RULE TO CUT IN FRONT OF ANOTHER WHICH IS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND OR TO OVERTAKE THAT AIRCRAFT.' (-23)N738UF WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AND HAD JUST TOUCHED DOWN FOR HIS SECOND LANDING WHEN N46204 LANDED ON TOP OF THE RIGHT WING SECTION. THE PROPELLER AT N46204 CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO RIGHT WING, RIGHT AILRON AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER.

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 DEN99LA067Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLas Cruces, NMThe pilot of N46204's failure to maintain visual lookout and to identify the other aircraft visually during landing.Apr 28, 1999 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N46204Cessna 172IAccident 19990428019991A · Substantial damage

Other reports on N738UF · 1

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

Incident 20031128032039INormal Cruise · Jacksonville, TX(-23) 11/28/2003 On flight plan and flight following, engine running rough landed at lagrange, TX (3T5). Mechanic reset mag. Departed enroute to Cherokee County Airport (jso) engine began to run rough again. Reported to ftw arrtc, then engine stopped. Advised…Nov 28, 2003