20230411011059A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172M · Terrel, TX · April 11, 2023

Date: April 11, 2023 · 15:20 local
Place: Terrel, TX
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1221U
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN23LA154
Reported as: Cessna 172M
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 26 total17 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N1221URegistered now · Cessna 172MS/N 17266918 · Built 1976 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.

This was a training flight, there was a crosswind, so the nose was crabbed into the wind during landing. When aircraft crossed the threshold, the student pilot pulled power to idle which caused the aircraft to drift from the center line to right. The aircraft bounced and the nose ballooned when the student pilot pulled the yoke back after the bounce – this action caused both pilots vision over the nose to be obscured.

Student pilot tried to get the aircraft back towards the center of the runway, the mains were in the soft grass and the nose touched, with the ground being so soft the nose wheel dug itself into the ground causing an abrupt stop and the prop to strike the ground. With the aircraft energy still moving forward and nose wheel in the ground a foot deep, this caused the aircraft to flip on its back.

When it all came to a stop, they ensured that the fuel and electrical was shutoff, and immediately exited the aircraft with only minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

THIS WAS A TRAINING FLIGHT, THERE WAS A CROSSWIND, SO THE NOSE WAS CRABBED INTO THE WIND DURING LANDING. WHEN AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE THRESHOLD, THE STUDENT PILOT PULLED POWER TO IDLE WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT FROM THE CENTER LINE TO RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND THE NOSE BALLOONED WHEN THE STUDENT PILOT PULLED THE YOKE BACK AFTER THE BOUNCE – THIS ACTION CAUSED BOTH PILOTS VISION OVER THE NOSE TO BE OBSCURED.

STUDENT PILOT TRIED TO GET THE AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY, THE MAINS WERE IN THE SOFT GRASS AND THE NOSE TOUCHED, WITH THE GROUND BEING SO SOFT THE NOSE WHEEL DUG ITSELF INTO THE GROUND CAUSING AN ABRUPT STOP AND THE PROP TO STRIKE THE GROUND. WITH THE AIRCRAFT ENERGY STILL MOVING FORWARD AND NOSE WHEEL IN THE GROUND A FOOT DEEP, THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP ON ITS BACK.

WHEN IT ALL CAME TO A STOP, THEY ENSURED THAT THE FUEL AND ELECTRICAL WAS SHUTOFF, AND IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES.

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 CEN23LA154Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportTerrell, TXThe student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial response.Apr 11, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1221U · 2

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

Incident 20060505006439ILevel Off Touchdown · Cleveland, TX(-23) Pilot was doing touch and go's as she was making a landing the plane porpoised once on the main gears then settled down then bounced again on the main gears she then touched the nosewheel down and the plane veered to the right and left the runway. The…May 5, 2006 · Minor damage Incident 19780731044609IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · New Lenox, ILNose wheel separated from the fork after touchdown due to failed or lost bolt. Bolt, AN547 not found.Jul 31, 1978 · Minor damage