20150921018489A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172S · Bally, PA · September 21, 2015

Date: September 21, 2015 · 18:30 local
Place: Bally, PA
Airport: Butter Valley Golf Port
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N347SP
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15LA366
Reported as: Cessna 172S
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,550 total1,300 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days

N347SPRegistration cancelled Mar 13, 2018 · Cessna 172SS/N 172S8271 · Built 1999 Airframe modelCessna 172S Engine modelLycoming I0360 SER A&CReciprocating

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.

Pilot states during climb out engine lost power. Attempted to land straight ahead however saw power lines made a left turn and attempted to land in field. Nose struck fence causing aircraft to flip over.

3 Witnesses saw an aircraft matching the accident aircraft executing aerobatic maneuvers west of the power lines (airfield is east of the power lines).

On scene observation indicated aircraft descended west of and parallel to the power lines, right wing low with right wingtip contacting soybean plants. Aircraft entered a right turn with the right wingtip contacting the ground. Aircraft settled onto all landing gear and contacted ground berm and fence, shearing off nose landing gear. Aircraft continued slide until engine and firewall dug into ground causing aircraft to flip upside down at end of skid. Propeller did not appear to be rotating at impact and upon uprighting aircraft examination of fuel tanks showed both right and left wing tanks to be more that 75% full.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATES DURING CLIMB OUT ENGINE LOST POWER. ATTEMPTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD HOWEVER SAW POWER LINES MADE A LEFT TURN AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN FIELD. NOSE STRUCK FENCE CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER.

3 WITNESSES SAW AN AIRCRAFT MATCHING THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT EXECUTING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS WEST OF THE POWER LINES (AIRFIELD IS EAST OF THE POWER LINES).

ON SCENE OBSERVATION INDICATED AIRCRAFT DESCENDED WEST OF AND PARALLEL TO THE POWER LINES, RIGHT WING LOW WITH RIGHT WINGTIP CONTACTING SOYBEAN PLANTS. AIRCRAFT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN WITH THE RIGHT WINGTIP CONTACTING THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT SETTLED ONTO ALL LANDING GEAR AND CONTACTED GROUND BERM AND FENCE, SHEARING OFF NOSE LANDING GEAR. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED SLIDE UNTIL ENGINE AND FIREWALL DUG INTO GROUND CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO FLIP UPSIDE DOWN AT END OF SKID. PROPELLER DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ROTATING AT IMPACT AND UPON UPRIGHTING AIRCRAFT EXAMINATION OF FUEL TANKS SHOWED BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT WING TANKS TO BE MORE THAT 75% FULL.

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 ERA15LA366Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBally, PAThe pilot's failure to maintain altitude during low-level aerobatic maneuvers. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's improper decision to attempt the low-level aerobatic maneuvers and his impairment due to psychiatric conditions and the medications he…Sep 21, 2015 · Substantial damage