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20050914020839A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 172M · Amarillo, TX · September 14, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 14, 2005 · 09:40 local
Place
Amarillo, TX
Airport
Blue Sky Airfield Airport
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N19998
NTSB investigation
NTSBDFW05CA237
Reported as
Cessna 172M
Reported engine
Lycoming O320E2D
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,200 total1,050 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days
N19998Registration cancelled Aug 12, 2009 · Cessna 172MS/N 17260921 · Built 1972Airframe modelCessna 172MEngine 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) Departed runway 35 at Blue sky airfield (2TX0) south of Amarillo, Texas at approximately 0940 CDT on September 14, 2005. Runway 35 is approximately 3800 feet according to airnav. The pilot reported he took off from runway 35, started climbing, and noticed the engine did not sound like it was making as much power as it usually did. When he reached 75 to 85 feet AGL, he saw that there was no gain in airspeed. When he noticed the engine was only producing 1950 rpms, he decided to put the aircraft down to the left of the runway. He proceeded to bank the aircraft left and just cleared a fence approximately 210 feet from the runway. The aircraft struck the ground left wing and nose low with initial impact being the left wing approximately 240 feet left of the runway. The aircraft came to rest approximately 68 feet beyond initial impact. The aircraft spun approximately 120 degrees to the left. After the aircraft came to rest, all passengers disembarked moments before a fire started. Both wing fuel tanks exploded and most of the aircraft was consumed in the fire. The skid marks were approximately 90 degrees to the runway.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DEPARTED RUNWAY 35 AT BLUE SKY AIRFIELD (2TX0) SOUTH OF AMARILLO, TEXAS AT APPROXIMATELY 0940 CDT ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2005. RUNWAY 35 IS APPROXIMATELY 3800 FEET ACCORDING TO AIRNAV. THE PILOT REPORTED HE TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 35, STARTED CLIMBING, AND NOTICED THE ENGINE DID NOT SOUND LIKE IT WAS MAKING AS MUCH POWER AS IT USUALLY DID. WHEN HE REACHED 75 TO 85 FEET AGL, HE SAW THAT THERE WAS NO GAIN IN AIRSPEED. WHEN HE NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS ONLY PRODUCING 1950 RPMS, HE DECIDED TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. HE PROCEEDED TO BANK THE AIRCRAFT LEFT AND JUST CLEARED A FENCE APPROXIMATELY 210 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND LEFT WING AND NOSE LOW WITH INITIAL IMPACT BEING THE LEFT WING APPROXIMATELY 240 FEET LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 68 FEET BEYOND INITIAL IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN APPROXIMATELY 120 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, ALL PASSENGERS DISEMBARKED MOMENTS BEFORE A FIRE STARTED. BOTH WING FUEL TANKS EXPLODED AND MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED IN THE FIRE. THE SKID MARKS WERE APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES TO THE RUNWAY.

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 DFW05CA237Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportAmarillo, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Contributing factors were the reported loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the high density altitude.Sep 14, 2005 · Destroyed