# Accident 20020112001729A: Cessna 172S, Houston, TX, January 12, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 12, 2002, 14:46 local time - Place: Houston, TX - Airport: Sugar Land Municipal/Hull Field Arp - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.6222° N, 95.3942° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6222&lon=-95.3942&mi=10 - Aircraft: N497SJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N497SJ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0-360-B1E (registry code 41559, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0-360-b1e) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Reported engine: LYC IO360L2A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Student - Pilot flight hours: 104 total, 75 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA068) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020112001729A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED AIRPORT FOR LOCAL PRACTICE AND TOUCH AND GOES. ON SECOND TOUCH AND GO, PILOT TRIED TO RAISE NOSE TO FLARE, NOSE DID NOT COME UP, NOSE GEAR STRUCK RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LOST CONTROL, VEERED OFF RUNWAY 35 AND HIT A POND ON THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND ENGINE FIREWALL. (.19) ON JANUARY 12, 2002, AT 1446 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172 AIRPLANE, N497SJ, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY SUGARLAND AVIATION, HOUSTON, TEXAS, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLL OUT ON RUNWAY 35 AT THE SUGARLAND AIRPORT, HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE SUGARLAND AIRPORT AT 1335. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT AFTER LANDING, DURING ROLL OUT THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND FLIPPED. THE FIREWALL WAS BUCKLED AND THE WING SPARS WERE BENT. (.4) ON JANUARY 12, 2002, AT 1446 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172S AIRPLANE, N497SJ, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY SUGAR LAND AVIATION, HOUSTON, TEXAS, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE LANDING ROLL OUT ON RUNWAY 35 AT THE SUGAR LAND AIRPORT, HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 FLIGHT. THE LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE SUGAR LAND AIRPORT AT 1335. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT WHILE EXECUTING A FULL STOP LANDING, HE REDUCED POWER GOING INTO THE "FLARE" AND "PULLED" THE CONTROLS BACK WHILE APPLYING RIGHT RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE THEN TOUCHED DOWN ON THE NOSE GEAR AND "BOUNCED." HE THEN ADDED POWER TO RECOVER; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND FLIPPED OVER. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS TORN OFF THE AIRFRAME, THE ENGINE FIREWALL SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND BOTH WING SPARS WERE BENT. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE 36 YEAR OLD PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 99 FLIGHT HOURS, 71 HOURS IN THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. THE STUDENT WAS OPERATING UNDER A 90-DAY SOLO ENDORSEMENT BY HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED FROM 340 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 17 KNOTS. ## 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 FTW02LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA068), Jan 12, 2002: Cessna 172S (N497SJ), Sugar Land, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. ## Other reports on N497SJ (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20241209020492A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241209020492A), Dec 9, 2024: Cessna 172S (N497SJ), Pahokee, FL, Minor damage. NTSB accident no.: ERA25LA072B atqa: A-SO-19-25-011 sas ptrs no.: SO19202501498 task id:T-SO19-FY25-0294 registration: nxxxx make: Cessna model: 172 serial… - [Accident 20180529015159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180529015159A), May 29, 2018: Cessna 172S (N497SJ), Kissimmee, FL, Substantial damage. Pilot stated that approach to Kissimmee Gateway Airport was normal. During landing touchdown aircraft N497SJ bounced a couple of times and pilot performed a go… - [Accident 20161001016109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161001016109A), Oct 1, 2016: Cessna 172S (N497SJ), Fort Lauderdale, FL, Substantial damage. Aircraft N497SJ with one pilot and one passenger on board, took off from Fort Lauderdale executive airport (fxe) flying to punta gorda airport (pgd), FL when… 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.