- Date
- July 31, 2013, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mesquite, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N738RQCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130731025499A
- Case key
- 87637
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 student pilot failed to maintain directional control during the touch-and-go landing and during the subsequent aborted takeoff during crosswind conditions.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The student pilot stated that there was a mild crosswind on final approach. The crosswind "picked up" before the airplane touched down left of centerline. The pilot retracted the flaps and advanced the throttle to continue the touch-and-go. The airplane continued to drift to the left and the left main landing gear exited the runway onto the grass. The pilot closed the throttle and elected a straight path in the grass instead of risking an over-correction. The airplane came to a stop when the nose landing gear collapsed. The firewall sustained substantial damage.
Factual narrative
The student pilot stated that there was a mild crosswind on final approach. The crosswind "picked up" before the airplane touched down left of centerline. The pilot retracted the flaps and advanced the throttle to continue the touch-and-go. The airplane continued to drift to the left and the left main landing gear exited the runway onto the grass. The pilot closed the throttle and elected a straight path in the grass instead of risking an over-correction. The airplane came to a stop when the nose landing gear collapsed. The firewall sustained substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N738RQ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270181
- Airframe hours
- 9,931
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Jlinn Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Jlinn Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 28, 2013
- Departed
- HQZ · Mesquite, TX
- Destination
- HQZ · Mesquite, TX
- Airport
- HQZ · Mesquite Metro Airport, runway 17, 5,999 × 100 ft, concrete
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
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13 total · 13 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- HQZ
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 25, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.