# NTSB FTW03LA165: Cessna 172P, N51611, Gainesville, TX, June 2, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 2, 2003, 13:10 local (18:10 UTC) - Place: Gainesville, TX - Coordinates: 33.651111, -97.196945 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6511&lon=-97.1969&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Flight Standards District Office (SW19) - NTSB case key (mKey): 57100 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW03LA165 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57100/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA165 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing. Contributing factors were the prevailing crosswind and the pilot's failure to abort landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - aborted landing - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command - On ground/water collision with object, landing - aborted - object - wind sock/indicator ## Analysis The 33-hour student pilot was not able to maintain directional control while landing with a right crosswind. The student pilot reported that as he landed, a wind gust blew the aircraft to the far left of the runway. The student pilot applied right rudder, right aileron, full power, carburetor heat in, and removed 10 degrees of flaps. The pilot then added full power to go-around. The airplane departed the 100-foot wide runway to the left, and impacted the windsock. At 1306, the GLE Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) reported the winds from 260 degrees at 10 knots. ## Factual narrative On June 2, 2003, approximately 1310 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P single-engine airplane, N51611, was substantially damaged following a loss of directional control while attempting an aborted landing at the Gainesville Municipal Airport (GLE), near Gainesville, Texas. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Delta Qualiflight of Fort Worth, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The round robin flight originated at the Fort Worth Meacham Airport (FTW), near Fort Worth, Texas, at 1145, with an intermediate stop at GLE, and back to FTW. The 33-hour student pilot reported that as he landed on Runway 17, a gust of wind blew the aircraft to the far left of the runway. The student pilot applied right rudder, right aileron, full power, carburetor heat in, and removed 10 degrees of flaps. The pilot stated, "The sudden wind gust kept blowing the plane further left into the grass. The speed was not building, I increased right rudder and aileron trying to get the aircraft airborne and under control." The pilot then added full power to go-around. The airplane departed the 100-foot wide runway to the left, and impacted the windsock. The student pilot added that the airplane "would not lift off after adding power." Examination of the wreckage by the operator, revealed that the left wing separated, and the fuselage separated aft of the cabin bulkhead. At 1306, the GLE Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) reported the winds from 260 degrees at 10 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, sky clear, temperature 30 degrees Celsius, dewpoint 19 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.79 inches of Mercury. The density altitude was calculated by the Investigator-In-Charge at 2,937 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N51611](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N51611-2013-03-18), registration cancelled 2013-03-18, S/N 17274329, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17274329 - Airframe hours: 5021 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: DELTA Qualiflight - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 11, 2003, 58 hours before - Departed: FTW, Fort Worth, TX - Destination: GLE, Gainesville, TX - Airport: KGLE, Gainesville Municipal, runway 17, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 32; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 33 total, 33 in this make and model, 2 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 10 knots, gusting 10 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: GLE ## 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 20030602011339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030602011339A), Jun 2, 2003: Cessna 172P, Gainesville, TX, Destroyed. (-23) On June 2, 2003 at 1810 gmt, a Cessna 172P, N51611, owned by delta aeronautics, inc., c/o k.w. mcloud, 151 meacham airport cir., bldg. 4N, fort worth,… ## Other investigations on N51611 (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 MKC85LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC85LA148), Jul 4, 1985: Cessna 172B (N51611), Valley Center, KS, substantial damage 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.