- Date
- December 18, 1999, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Worth, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8250UCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 2, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991218042239A
- Case key
- 48359
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's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a porpoise.
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 performing a touch-and-go landing, the solo student pilot allowed the airplane to touch down nose wheel first, and the airplane porpoised. Subsequently, the airplane bounced a second time, departed the runway, struck the right wing against the ground, and spun around before coming to rest against bushes. The student pilot was endorsed for the solo flight. He had a total flight time of 59.5 hours, of which 42.5 hours were in the accident make and model of aircraft.
Factual narrative
On December 18, 1999, at 1700 central standard time, a Cessna 172 single engine airplane, N8250U, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Hicks Airfield near Fort Worth, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by Pro Aircraft, Fort Worth, Texas, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local solo flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The aircraft departed Hicks Airfield and was performing the first of a planned series of touch-and-go landings.
On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) the operator reported that the pilot "did not flare." He further reported that the airplane "struck nose wheel first, [and] bounced (porpoised)." Subsequently, the airplane bounced a second time and the student pilot "lost control." The aircraft departed the runway, struck the ground with the right wing tip, spun around, and came to rest among bushes on the southwest side of the runway. The main spar and ribs were damaged on both wings. One propeller blade was damaged.
The student pilot was endorsed for the solo flight. He had a total flight time of 59.5 hours, of which 42.5 hours were in the accident make and model of aircraft.
The FAA inspector, who examined the aircraft, reported that the airplane departed runway 32 to the left side and impacted trees. The aircraft received structural damage to both wings and the right aileron.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8250U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17252150
- Airframe hours
- 4,185
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pro Aircraft
- Registered owner
- Louis A. Rainone
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 1, 1999 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- T67
- Airport
- T67 · Hicks Airfield, runway 32, 3,740 × 60 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
- 30
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 60 total · 42 in this make and model · 7 as pilot in command · 42 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.