# NTSB CEN13LA041: Cessna 172S, N985GE, Roanoke, TX, November 3, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 3, 2012, 10:40 local (15:40 UTC) - Place: Roanoke, TX - Coordinates: 33.04972, -97.232223 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0497&lon=-97.2322&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report January 30, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 85494 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA041 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85494/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85494 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA041 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles on the runway approach path. Contributing to the accident was the airport management's decision to relocate the runway displaced threshold, which did not provide an adequate safety margin for approaching aircraft, and the automobile driver's inadequate lookout for approaching aircraft before crossing the runway's approach path. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: ground vehicle](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022025): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 132 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022025/cases.md) - [Airport facilities/design](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017000): Environmental issues › Operating environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was returning from a solo cross-country flight at the time of the accident. He stated that the approach for landing was normal until he was on short final approach, when the airplane's landing gear struck an automobile that was being driven on a road that crossed near the approach end of the runway. The airplane subsequently landed hard and the nose and left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway before coming to rest in the grass. The student pilot stated that there were no malfunctions or failures with the airplane before it impacted the vehicle. The automobile driver reported that he had been to the airport before and was aware of the proximity of the road to the runway, describing the layout as "precarious." He noted that he did not see or hear the approaching airplane traffic before the accident. He said he was about halfway across the road, immediately north of the runway, when he first heard the airplane engine; the airplane impacted his car immediately afterward. The displaced threshold for the landing runway was located about 140 feet from the approach end of the runway. The roadway that crossed the extended runway centerline was located about 25 feet from the approach end of the runway pavement, about 165 feet from the displaced threshold. Data indicated that the runway threshold was previously displaced 400 feet. Although the privately-owned airport was not required to maintain airport design standards established by the Federal Aviation Administration, the proximity of the roadway and the reduced runway threshold displacement did not provide any safety margin for approaching aircraft. ## Factual narrative On November 3, 2012, about 1040 central daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N985GE, impacted an automobile on final approach to runway 17 (3,500 feet by 40 feet, asphalt) at the Northwest Regional Airport (52F), Roanoke, Texas. The student pilot was not injured. The automobile driver and passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Marcair, Inc. under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a solo instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. The cross-country flight originated from Possum Kingdom Airport (F35), Graford, Texas, about 1005, with an intended destination of 52F. The student pilot reported that he was returning from a solo cross-country flight, entered a left traffic pattern for runway 17 at 52F. He recalled that the approach was normal and the airspeed was about 60 knots when crossing the fence near the end of the runway. He stated that just after crossing the fence the landing gear impacted an automobile, which resulted in a hard landing. The nose and left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway before coming to rest in the grass. The student pilot stated that there were no malfunctions or failures associated with the airplane before impacting the automobile. The driver of the automobile reported that he had been to the airport before and was aware of the proximity of the road to the runway, describing the layout as "precarious." He noted that he did not see or hear the approaching airplane traffic prior to the accident; although, he had rolled the car windows down and turned off the radio to assist in hearing any airplane traffic. He stated that the vehicle was about halfway across the road immediately north of the runway when he first heard the airplane engine. The airplane impacted his car immediately afterward. He noted that the airplane impacted his car about 4-1/2 feet above the road. The accident airport consisted of a single north-south oriented runway, designated 17 / 35. The published runway dimensions at the time of the accident were 3,500 feet by 40 feet. Although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Facility Directory (AFD) current at the time of the accident noted a 400-foot displaced threshold for runway 17, the runway threshold was actually displaced approximately 140 feet at the time of the accident. Satellite imagery indicated that the runway threshold markings were changed sometime between June 12, 2011, and the date of the accident. The edge of the roadway crossing the runway 17 approach path was located about 25 feet from the end of the runway; about 165 feet from the displaced threshold. The roadway was marked with a faded "Stop" indication painted on the pavement at each side of the runway. However, there were no signs requiring drivers to stop or advising them of lowflying aircraft. Because the accident airport was privately owned, the airport management was under no obligation to maintain the airport to any federal standard. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airport design guidance (Advisory Circular 150/5300-13A) noted a standard approach slope of 20:1, or about 3 degrees. Guidance related to Visual Approach Slope Indicators (VASI), contained in Chapter 2 of the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, noted that a standard runway glide path angle is 3 degrees; however, the glide path angle may be up to 4.5 degrees if necessary for obstacle clearance. The calculated glide path height above the roadway, considering a 165-foot distance between the displaced runway threshold and the edge of the roadway, would be 8.6 feet and 13.0 feet for a 3-degree and a 4.5 degree glide path, respectively. This does not take into account any difference in the elevation of the roadway relative to the runway, nor does it include any safety margin for momentary inadvertent operations slightly below the glidepath. ## Aircraft - Registration: N985GE (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S10045 - Airframe hours: 4798 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Marcair Inc. - Registered owner: Marcair Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 12, 2012, 89 hours before - Departed: F35, Graford, TX - Destination: 52F, Roanoke, TX - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 52F, Northwest Regional, runway 17, 3,500 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 43; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 10, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 45 total, 45 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: AFW, 7 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20121103027199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121103027199A), Nov 3, 2012: Cessna 172S, Roanoke, TX, Substantial damage. On November 3, 2012, about 10:40 central daylight time, a 2005 Cessna 172S aircraft, N985GE, impacted a mobile ground vehicle during the final landing phase of… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85494. 3.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 575 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389037&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Vehicle Driver (item 2, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396430&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Vehicle%20Driver-Master.PDF - Airport Information -- Runway 17 (provided by FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 491 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389073&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Information%20--%20Runway%2017%20(provided%20by%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Runway 17 Threshold Configuration -- Northwest Regional Airport (item 4, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40404158&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Runway%2017%20Threshold%20Configuration%20--%20Northwest%20Regional%20Airport-Master.PDF - Airport Facility Directory (item 5, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389076&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Facility%20Directory-Master.PDF - Summary of Airport Evaluation (item 6, .PDF, 545 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40404361&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Summary%20of%20Airport%20Evaluation-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.