- Date
- May 29, 2003, 15:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Hampton, GA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N140PFCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Atlanta FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030529009589A
- Case key
- 57093
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 certified flight instructor's failure to maintain clearance from the runway during a low pass. A factor was gusty wind conditions.
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
According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), a low pass was conducted to demonstrate crosswind landing drift control. During the low pass the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind, and the right wing tip impacted the runway. The airplane cartwheeled and came to rest on the runway. No mechanical or flight control malfunctions were reported by the pilots prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On May 29, 2003, at 1520 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N140PF, registered to KD Enterprises Incorporated and operated Peachtree Flight Center collided with the runway while conducting a low pass at Tara-Field, Hampton, Georgia. The instructional flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot/ certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot reported minor injuries. The flight departed Falcon Field, Peachtree City, Georgia, on May 29, 2003, at 1455.
According to the CFI, during a flight demonstration on crosswind landing drift control, a low pass was conducted 50 feet over runway 24. During the low pass the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind, and the right wing tip struck the runway. The airplane cartwheeled and came to rest on the runway. No mechanical or flight control malfunctions were reported by the pilots prior to the accident. At 1853, the nearest weather reporting facility recordered winds as 300 degrees at 19 knots with gust of 25 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N140PF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273490
- Airframe hours
- 3,690
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Peachtree Flight Center
- Registered owner
- Kd Aviation Enterprises Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2003 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- FFC · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- 4A7 · Hampton
- Airport
- 4A7 · Clayton County - Tara Field, runway 240, 4,503 × 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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2003
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,960 total · 500 in this make and model · 2,925 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 19 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- KATL, 15 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.