# NTSB CEN16LA092: Cessna 172R, N72AF, Sulfur Springs, TX, January 5, 2016

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 5, 2016, 12:35 local (18:35 UTC)
- Place: Sulfur Springs, TX
- Coordinates: 33.158332, -95.621109
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1583&lon=-95.6211&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 16, 2016
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 92620
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN16LA092
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92620/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92620
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA092

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 75 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 267 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot was landing at the destination airport after conducting a cross-country solo flight. He reported that, during the touchdown, he lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane crossed over a grass strip onto a taxiway, crossed the taxiway, and impacted a ditch. The nosewheel got stuck in the ditch, and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder, left wing strut, cowling, firewall, and engine mount. The nose landing gear was separated at the firewall. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the flight controls, engine, or other airplane systems. Calm wind existed at the time of the accident.

## Factual narrative

On January 5, 2016 about 1235 Central Standard Time, a Cessna 172R, N72AF, impacted terrain while attempting to land at the Sulfur Springs Municipal Airport (SLR), Sulfur Springs, Texas. The solo student pilot on board was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned and operated by American Flyers of California, Incorporated, a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross country flight that was operating on a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated at Dallas, Texas, at 1150. The student pilot reported he was landing at SLR when during touchdown, he lost control of the airplane. The airplane crossed over a grass strip onto a taxiway, crossed the taxiway and impacted in a ditch. The nose wheel stuck in the ditch and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder, left wing strut, cowling, firewall and engine mount. The nose gear was separated at the firewall. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies to the flight controls, engine or other airplane systems. At 1235, the reported weather conditions at SLR were wind calm, clear skies, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 5 degrees Celsius (C), dew point -2 degrees C, and altimeter 30.37 inches of Mercury.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N72AF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N72AF-2019-10-05), registration cancelled 2019-10-05, S/N 17280070, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R (R)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17280070
- Year built: 1997
- Airframe hours: 14739
- Engines: LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Ameriflyers Of California Inc
- Registered owner: Ameriflyers Of California Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, December 28, 2015
- Departed: ADS, Addison, TX
- Destination: SLR, Sulfur Springs, TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: SLR, Sulphur Springs, runway 19, 5,001 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 25; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 148 total, 148 in this make and model, 42 in the last 90 days, 42 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observed at: SLR, 5 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 20160105003129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160105003129A), Jan 5, 2016: Cessna 172R, Sulphur Springs, TX, Substantial damage. A training flight originated at addison municipal airport (ADS) and landed at Sulphur Springs municipal airport (kslr) runway 19. After touchdown, the pilot…

## Other investigations on N72AF (1)

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.

- [NTSB LAX04LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA027), Oct 25, 2003: Cessna 172R (N72AF), San Diego, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot of the other airplane's inadvertent application of the rudder pedals rather than the brakes, which resulted in the collision with the Cessna 172R.

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 17, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92620. 946 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 946 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437775&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.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.

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