20040801023499A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172S · Waterloo, AL · August 1, 2004

Date: August 1, 2004 · 16:05 local
Place: Waterloo, AL
Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N970SP
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04LA164
Reported as: Cessna 172S
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 683 total279 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days

N970SPRegistration cancelled Apr 15, 2005 · Cessna 172SS/N 172S8172 · Built 1999 Airframe modelCessna 172S Engine modelLycoming I0360 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) The accident aircraft was flying near Waterloo, Alabama just above the Tennessee river at approximately 1600 hours on August 01, 2004. Several witnesses stated they observed the aircraft flying parallel to the shore line as if it were looking for something. Shortly thereafter the aircraft was observed performing a slow descent to approximately 50 feet above the water when it leveled off and flew for approximately a mile. As it neared the Waterloo area bridge the aircraft made a level left turn (approximately 20 degrees) and started a steep climb. At approximately 300 feet the aircraft entered a stall condition, made a half turn to the right and nosed straight into the water. The aircraft sank to the river bottom in approximately 30 feet of water with one person aboard.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING NEAR WATERLOO, ALABAMA JUST ABOVE THE TENNESSEE RIVER AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 HOURS ON AUGUST 01, 2004. SEVERAL WITNESSES STATED THEY OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING PARALLEL TO THE SHORE LINE AS IF IT WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED PERFORMING A SLOW DESCENT TO APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET ABOVE THE WATER WHEN IT LEVELED OFF AND FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY A MILE. AS IT NEARED THE WATERLOO AREA BRIDGE THE AIRCRAFT MADE A LEVEL LEFT TURN (APPROXIMATELY 20 DEGREES) AND STARTED A STEEP CLIMB. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STALL CONDITION, MADE A HALF TURN TO THE RIGHT AND NOSED STRAIGHT INTO THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT SANK TO THE RIVER BOTTOM IN APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET OF WATER WITH ONE PERSON ABOARD.

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 ATL04LA164Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportWaterloo, ALThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in a stall and subsequent uncontrolled descent and collision into water.Aug 1, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N970SP · 1

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

Accident 20030725016389ALevel Off Touchdown · Olive Branch, MS(-23) [privacy data omitted]Jul 25, 2003 · Substantial damage