What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On November 17, 2002 at 1240 local time, the CFI and his student (which held a private pilot certificate asel, but no medical) departed the david wayne hooks memorial airport (dwh) located in spring, Texas in a Cessna 152, N4794P, for a training flight in the west practice area. The weather at the time of the flight was VFR. The private pilot, who was occupying the left seat, and the CFI departed the dwh class d airspace westbound and climbed to an altitude of 9500 ft. MSL approximately 40 NM west of the iah VOR and started maneuvering over the town of prairie view, Texas. The private pilot had stated to the CFI that he wanted to climb a high altitude in order to check his ears due to a recent surgery. He also stated that he wanted to fly with the window open and practice aerial photography, which was his hobby. He also informed the CFI that the shoulder harness was uncomfortable, and he un-fastened it after they had obtained altitude. Upon reaching an altitude to 9500 MSL, the private pilot asked the CFI to enter a steep turn to the left. The CFI stated that the private pilot reached behind him to take a drink of water prior to the turn. As the CFI banked the aircraft to theleft beyond 45 degrees, the private pilot reached up and changed the radio frequency to 121.5 mhz. The CFI then heard a "bang" and the private pilot rolled out of the aircraft head first. The CFI issued a mayday call on 121.5 and was vectored back to dwh airport. The aircraft landed without incident. Inspection of the aircraft revealed that the seatbelts, shoulder harnesses and door had not been compromised, and the aircraft was determined to be in an airworthy condition. Evidence and statements obtained from friends and co-workers of the private pilot indicated an ongoing treatment for depression and a recent intent to take his own life by using an aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON NOVEMBER 17, 2002 AT 1240 LOCAL TIME, THE CFI AND HIS STUDENT (WHICH HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE ASEL, BUT NO MEDICAL) DEPARTED THE DAVID WAYNE HOOKS MEMORIAL AIRPORT (DWH) LOCATED IN SPRING, TEXAS IN A CESSNA 152, N4794P, FOR A TRAINING FLIGHT IN THE WEST PRACTICE AREA. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT WAS VFR. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS OCCUPYING THE LEFT SEAT, AND THE CFI DEPARTED THE DWH CLASS D AIRSPACE WESTBOUND AND CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 9500 FT. MSL APPROXIMATELY 40 NM WEST OF THE IAH VOR AND STARTED MANEUVERING OVER THE TOWN OF PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD STATED TO THE CFI THAT HE WANTED TO CLIMB A HIGH ALTITUDE IN ORDER TO CHECK HIS EARS DUE TO A RECENT SURGERY. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WANTED TO FLY WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND PRACTICE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, WHICH WAS HIS HOBBY. HE ALSO INFORMED THE CFI THAT THE SHOULDER HARNESS WAS UNCOMFORTABLE, AND HE UN-FASTENED IT AFTER THEY HAD OBTAINED ALTITUDE. UPON REACHING AN ALTITUDE TO 9500 MSL, THE PRIVATE PILOT ASKED THE CFI TO ENTER A STEEP TURN TO THE LEFT. THE CFI STATED THAT THE PRIVATE PILOT REACHED BEHIND HIM TO TAKE A DRINK OF WATER PRIOR TO THE TURN. AS THE CFI BANKED THE AIRCRAFT TO THELEFT BEYOND 45 DEGREES, THE PRIVATE PILOT REACHED UP AND CHANGED THE RADIO FREQUENCY TO 121.5 MHZ. THE CFI THEN HEARD A "BANG" AND THE PRIVATE PILOT ROLLED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT HEAD FIRST. THE CFI ISSUED A MAYDAY CALL ON 121.5 AND WAS VECTORED BACK TO DWH AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE SEATBELTS, SHOULDER HARNESSES AND DOOR HAD NOT BEEN COMPROMISED, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION. EVIDENCE AND STATEMENTS OBTAINED FROM FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS OF THE PRIVATE PILOT INDICATED AN ONGOING TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND A RECENT INTENT TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE BY USING AN AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.