20031012025929A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172P · Pell City, AL · October 12, 2003

Date: October 12, 2003 · 10:45 local
Place: Pell City, AL
Airport: St Clair County Airport
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N52254
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04LA013
Reported as: Cessna 172P
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 41 total41 in this make and model13 in the last 90 days

N52254Registration cancelled Mar 29, 2007 · Cessna 172PS/N 17274462 · Built 1980 Airframe modelCessna 172P Engine 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.

(-23) On October 12, 2003, at 1045 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N52254, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR 91 instructional flight, experienced a loss of directional control during landing flare at saint Clair county airport, Pell City, Alabama, and collided with a tree. The airplane received substantial damage. The student pilot stated he was making a crosswind landing on runway 02. During the landing flare, the student pilot removed the crosswind correction and the airplane drifted to the left off the runway and collided with a tree. The starboard wing received substantial structural damage and the firewall including the forward section of the cockpit was damaged.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON OCTOBER 12, 2003, AT 1045 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172P, N52254, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING FLARE AT SAINT CLAIR COUNTY AIRPORT, PELL CITY, ALABAMA, AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED HE WAS MAKING A CROSSWIND LANDING ON RUNWAY 02. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE STUDENT PILOT REMOVED THE CROSSWIND CORRECTION AND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE STARBOARD WING RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND THE FIREWALL INCLUDING THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE COCKPIT WAS DAMAGED.

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 ATL04LA013Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPell City, ALThe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind and his failure to maintain directional control during landing. A factor was the crosswind.Oct 12, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N52254 · 1

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

Incident 20000523016819INormal Cruise · Alabaster, AL(-23)PIC reported while on a photography flight departed Shelby County Airport (21A) on may 23,2000, at 1000L, the aircraft windshield broke approximately one hour into flight without prior warning. He immediately returned to the airport and landed without…May 23, 2000 · Minor damage