# Accident 19990429004201A: Cessna 172N, Winter Haven, FL, April 29, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 29, 1999, 17:55 local time - Place: Winter Haven, FL - Airport: Winter Haven'S Gilbert Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft - Phase of flight: Final Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 28.0406° N, 81.7200° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0406&lon=-81.7200&mi=10 - Aircraft: N739FX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N739FX-2017-06-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 440 total, 82 in this make and model, 110 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99FA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99FA078) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990429004201A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. N48870 WAS ON SHORT FINAL. N739FX WAS ON TOP OF N48870 ON SHORT FINAL. N739FX HIT N48870 AND BOTH AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT WINTER HAVEN, FL. (.19) ON APRIL 29, 1999, AT 1755, EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172N, N739FX, AND A CESSNA 152, N48870, COLLIDED IN-FLIGHT WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 29, AT THE GILBERT AIRPORT, IN WINTERHAVEN, FLORIDA. THE 172, WAS OPERATED BY THE AERO L'AQUILA FLIGHT SCHOOL, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE 152, WAS OPERATED BY THE BRITANNIA FLIGHT CENTER, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METOEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHTS. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND PASSENGER OF THE 172, SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THE STUDENT PILOT OF THE 152 SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. BOTH AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE 152 HAD BEEN PRACTICING FULL STOP LANDINGS AND HAD REMAINED IN THE PATTERN. THE 172 HAD REPORTEDLY DEPARTED KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA ABOUT 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE PILOT OF THE 152, OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY, ANNOUNCING HIS LEFT DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL APPROACH POSITIONS. WITNESSES SAID THE 172 WAS OBSERVED MAKING A RIGHT DOWNWIND APPROACH AND AN ABBREVIATED BASE TO FINAL TO RUNWAY 29 ABOVE THE 152. A WITNESSES WHO WAS IN HIS AIRCRAFT AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE ATTEMPTED TO WARN THE 172 OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY OF 122.7 SEVERAL TIMES, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO REPLY. THE 172 IMPACTED THE TOP OF THE 152 ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND FORCING THE 152 INTO THE GROUND. THE 172 PITCHED UP, ROLLED RIGHT AND NOSED INTO THE GROUND COMING TO REST ON IT'S BACK. THE 152 LANDED HARD ON ITS MAIN GEAR, AND SLID TO A STOP. (.4)THE 152 HAD BEEN PRACTICING FULL-STOP LANDINGS AND HAD REMAINED IN THE PATTERN. A 172 HAD DEPARTED KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA, FOR A TOUCH AND GO LANDING AT GILBERT AIRPORT. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE PILOT OF THE 152, OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY, ANNOUNCING HIS LEFT DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL APPROACH POSITIONS. WITNESSES SAID THE 172 WAS OBSERVED MAKING A RIGHT DOWNWIND APPROACH AND AN ABBREVIATED BASE TO FINAL TO RUNWAY 29 ABOVE THE 152. A WITNESS WHO WAS IN HIS AIRCRAFT AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE ATTEMPTED TO WARN THE 172 OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY OF 122.7 SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER, THERE W AS NO REPLY. THE 172 IMPACTED THE TOP OF THE 152 ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, FORCING THE 152 INTO THE GROUND. THE 172 PITCHED UP, ROLLED RIGHT AND NOSED INTO THE GROUND COMING TO REST ON ITS BACK. THE 152 LANDED HARD ON ITS MAIN GEAR, AND SLID TO A STOP. TITLE 14 CFR PART 91.113(G) LANDING, STATED IN PART; 'AIRCRAFT, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND OR WHILE LANDING, HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OVER OTHER AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT OR OPERATING ON THE SURFACE.' ## Other aircraft in the event - N48870, Cessna 152: [Accident 19990429004202A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990429004202A) ## 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 ATL99FA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99FA078), Apr 29, 1999: Cessna 172N (N739FX), Winter Haven, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot of the other aircraft's failure to maintain visual lookout. A factor was the other pilot's disregard for VFR Traffic pattern procedures. ## Other reports on N739FX (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19800830039109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800830039109A), Aug 30, 1980: Cessna 172N (N739FX), Jekyll Island, GA, Substantial damage. Aircraft crashed into trees at end of runway as pilot attempted go-around. 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.