20070902017099A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172M · Union Star, MS · September 2, 2007

Date: September 2, 2007 · 15:11 local
Place: Union Star, MS
Phase of flight: Practice Training Manuevers
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N1502V
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI07LA288
Reported as: Cessna 172M
Reported engine: Lycoming O320E2D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 22 total22 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N1502VRegistration cancelled Oct 30, 2012 · Cessna 172MS/N 17263631 · Built 1974 Airframe modelCessna 172M 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) The student pilot departed solo from the st. joseph rosecrans airport (stj), st. joseph, MO at approximately 1350 CDT after being instructed by his flight instructor to practice maneuvers in the practice area 10 miles west of the airport. At approximately 1500 CDT, the aircraft was observed circling a residential area approximately 16 miles northeast of stj near Union Star, MO. Witnesses stated that the aircraft was flying erratically, making climbs, descents, and steep banked turns at low altitude. After making approximately 8 passes over the residential area, witnsses reported seeing the aircraft making a steep banked descending turn over a house. The aircraft struck the ground between two houses in a nearly vertical nose-down attitude. The aircraft caught fire after impact, completely destroying the main fuselage area. The investigation did not reveal a lack of continuity of control cables, or any other mechanical problems.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED SOLO FROM THE ST. JOSEPH ROSECRANS AIRPORT (STJ), ST. JOSEPH, MO AT APPROXIMATELY 1350 CDT AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED BY HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO PRACTICE MANEUVERS IN THE PRACTICE AREA 10 MILES WEST OF THE AIRPORT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 CDT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED CIRCLING A RESIDENTIAL AREA APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES NORTHEAST OF STJ NEAR UNION STAR, MO. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING ERRATICALLY, MAKING CLIMBS, DESCENTS, AND STEEP BANKED TURNS AT LOW ALTITUDE. AFTER MAKING APPROXIMATELY 8 PASSES OVER THE RESIDENTIAL AREA, WITNSSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT MAKING A STEEP BANKED DESCENDING TURN OVER A HOUSE. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND BETWEEN TWO HOUSES IN A NEARLY VERTICAL NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE AFTER IMPACT, COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE MAIN FUSELAGE AREA. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL A LACK OF CONTINUITY OF CONTROL CABLES, OR ANY OTHER MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

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 CHI07LA288Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportUnion Star, MOThe student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and the subsequent inadvertent stall while buzzing residences. Contributing to the accident was the pilot performing buzzing maneuvers.Sep 2, 2007 · Destroyed