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20031221034339A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 172K · Van, TX · December 21, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 21, 2003 · 13:30 local
Place
Van, TX
Airport
Brady Field Airport
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N78189
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW04FA045
Reported as
Cessna 172K
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
N78189Registration cancelled Jan 24, 2018 · Cessna 172KS/N 17257519 · Built 1968Airframe modelCessna 172KEngine 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 December 21, 2003 at approximately 133O central standard time, a Cessna 172 single engine airplane N78189 was destroyed when it collided with terrain, then trees while approaching to land at Brady field near grand saline, Texas. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot was operating under 14 FAR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight that departed jackson international airport (jan), near jackson, Mississippi, about 0930 local time. A witness, who lived at the private airport, heard the airplane approach runway 22. She stated that the sound of the engine was similar to when an airplane would cross over the runway threshold during landing. She noticed that the airplane was "way low" and to the right of the runway centerline. The witness observed the airplane descend in a nose down angle into trees, followed by the sound of an impact.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON DECEMBER 21, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 133O CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172 SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE N78189 WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN, THEN TREES WHILE APPROACHING TO LAND AT BRADY FIELD NEAR GRAND SALINE, TEXAS. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT WAS OPERATING UNDER 14 FAR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED JACKSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (JAN), NEAR JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, ABOUT 0930 LOCAL TIME. A WITNESS, WHO LIVED AT THE PRIVATE AIRPORT, HEARD THE AIRPLANE APPROACH RUNWAY 22. SHE STATED THAT THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE WAS SIMILAR TO WHEN AN AIRPLANE WOULD CROSS OVER THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD DURING LANDING. SHE NOTICED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS "WAY LOW" AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCEND IN A NOSE DOWN ANGLE INTO TREES, FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF AN IMPACT.

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 FTW04FA045Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportGrand Saline, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while on final approach. Factors were the high winds and prevailing crosswind.Dec 21, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N78189 · 1

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

Incident 19800816067079ILevel Off Touchdown · Batesville, ARPilot landed too fast and to side of runway. Wheel barreled and damaged the propeller.Aug 16, 1980 · Minor damage