- Date
- May 13, 2003, 10:35 local (15:35 UTC)
- Place
- Somerville, TN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1748FCessna 172H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Memphis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030513015039A
- Case key
- 56979
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's misjudged approach airspeed and distance which resulted in an undershoot of the runway and collision with terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While on approach to land on runway 01, the airplane propeller caught a berm and undershot the runway 10 feet of the paved surface. Since repairs were underway from the edge of the runway-paved surface, several feet of dirt had been removed on the approach end of the runway. The pilot reported that the nose wheel collapsed and the airplane skidded in and stopped about 50 feet down the runway. Examination of the airplane showed a buckled fuselage, nose gear damage, firewall and propeller damage. No mechanical problems were revealed during the post-accident examination of the airplane.
Factual narrative
On May 13, 2003, at 1035 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N1748F, registered to and operated by Douglass Co LLC, collided with the ground short of the runway surface while attempting a landing at the Fayette County Airport, in Somerville, Tennessee. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot was not injured. The flight departed Somerville, Tennessee at 1020, on May 13, 2003.
According to the pilot, while on approach to land on runway 01, the airplane touched down 10 feet short of the paved runway and the propeller struck a berm. Since repairs were underway from the edge of the runway-paved surface, several feet of dirt had been removed on the approach end of the runway. The pilot reported that the nose wheel collapsed and the plane skidded in and stopped about 50 feet down the runway.
Examination of the airplane showed a buckled fuselage, nose gear damage, firewall and propeller damage. No mechanical problems were revealed during the post-accident examination of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1748F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17255143
- Airframe hours
- 7,500
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ray Douglas
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FYE · Somerville, TN
- Destination
- Somerville, TN
- Airport
- FYE · Fayette County, runway 01, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 790 total · 700 in this make and model · 6 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- MKL, 35 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1748F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.