20231002022479A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172R · Grand Prairie, TX · October 2, 2023

Date: October 2, 2023 · 13:59 local
Place: Grand Prairie, TX
Airport: Grand Prairie Municipal
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N397ES
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN24LA003
Reported as: Cessna 172R
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 96 total40 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N397ESRegistered now · Cessna 172RS/N 17280164 · Built 1997 Airframe modelCessna 172R 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.

The pilot in command (PIC) was flying takeoffs and landings at the Grand Prairie Municipal Airport (gpm). The PIC had a friend as a passeneger who is not a certificated pilot.

Turning for a base leg to gpm runway 18, the PIC stated that the airplane began to descend more rapidly than he anticipated. When he pushed in the airplane's throttle, the engine's power did not increase. He stated that the engine continued to lose power creating a situation where he would not be able to return to the airport.

Due to the low altitude, the PIC executed an emergency off airport landing in a parking lot.

It was found that the airplane was unable to stop within the area of this parking lot and continued traveling west impacting and flying through a chain linked fence adjacent to this parking lot. The plane came to rest on a public street.

During recovery of the wreckage, approximately 25 gallons of fuel was drained from both fuel tanks.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) WAS FLYING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT THE GRAND PRAIRIE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (GPM). THE PIC HAD A FRIEND AS A PASSENEGER WHO IS NOT A CERTIFICATED PILOT.

TURNING FOR A BASE LEG TO GPM RUNWAY 18, THE PIC STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DESCEND MORE RAPIDLY THAN HE ANTICIPATED. WHEN HE PUSHED IN THE AIRPLANE'S THROTTLE, THE ENGINE'S POWER DID NOT INCREASE. HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER CREATING A SITUATION WHERE HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT.

DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE, THE PIC EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN A PARKING LOT.

IT WAS FOUND THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO STOP WITHIN THE AREA OF THIS PARKING LOT AND CONTINUED TRAVELING WEST IMPACTING AND FLYING THROUGH A CHAIN LINKED FENCE ADJACENT TO THIS PARKING LOT. THE PLANE CAME TO REST ON A PUBLIC STREET.

DURING RECOVERY OF THE WRECKAGE, APPROXIMATELY 25 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM BOTH FUEL TANKS.

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 CEN24LA003Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportArlington, TXA reported loss of engine power during the landing approach due to undetermined reasons, which resulted in a forced landing and collision with a fence.Oct 2, 2023 · Substantial damage