# NTSB FTW03LA177: Cessna 172M, N20679, Bristow, OK, June 25, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 25, 2003, 13:55 local (18:55 UTC) - Place: Bristow, OK - Coordinates: 35.811389, -96.421943 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8114&lon=-96.4219&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Cessna Aircraft Company, Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57307 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW03LA177 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57307/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA177 ## Probable cause The pilot's premature retracting of the flaps, and his failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - high, pilot passenger - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - raising of flaps - premature, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis While en route to Oklahoma City, the pilot decided to permit a pilot-rated passenger to practice touch-and go landings at Jones Memorial Airport, Oklahoma. The pilot-rated passenger, who was manipulating the controls and occupying the left seat, flared high and the airplane bounced twice. On the second bounce, the airplane veered across the runway. The pilot, who was in the right seat, announced that he was taking over the controls of the airplane to initiate a go-round. During the go-around, the pilot turned the airplane left, applied full power, and lifted the flap lever intending to take out 10 degrees of the 40 degrees that was set for landing. However, the pilot inadvertently took out more than 10 degrees. The airplane drifted left of the runway and descended until the right wing tip struck the ground. The pilot made a correction to the left, but the airplane stalled and pivoted nearly 180 degrees before coming to rest approximately 100 yards east of the runway. The pilot reported the wind to be from 120 degrees at 7-10 knots, and the investigator calculated the density altitude to be 3,278 feet at the time of the accident. Examination of the wreckage indicated from the position of the flap-actuator that the flaps were in the retracted position. ## Factual narrative On June 25, 2003, approximately 1355 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M single-engine airplane, N20679, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground east of runway 17 following a loss of control while landing at Jones Memorial Airport (3F7), near Bristow, Oklahoma. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Landed Gentry Development, Inc., of Burlington, Washington, and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed Branson, Missouri, approximately 1200, with a planned destination to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The 1,111-hour pilot occupied the right seat, and the 243-hour pilot-rated passenger occupied the left seat. While en route, the pilot decided to permit the pilot-rated passenger to practice touch-and-go landings on runway 17 (3,400 feet long and 45 feet wide) at the Jones Memorial Airport. According to the pilot, during the first landing, the pilot-rated passenger flared high and the airplane bounced twice. On the second bounce, as the airplane veered across the runway, the pilot announced that he was taking over the controls of the airplane to initiate a go-around. When initiating the go-around procedure, the pilot turned the airplane left, applied full power, and lifted the flap selector lever intending to take out 10 degrees of flaps of the 40 degrees that were set for landing. The airplane drifted left of the runway and descended until the right wing tip struck the ground. The pilot then made a correction to the left, but the airplane stalled and pivoted nearly 180 degrees before coming to rest approximately 100 yards east of the runway. With a temperature at 34 degrees Celsius, field elevation of 851 feet, and an altimeter setting of 29.95 inches of mercury, the investigator-in-charge calculated the density altitude to be 3,278 feet at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that the wind was from 120 degrees at 7-10 knots. On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot stated that it appeared that he inadvertently took out more that 10 degrees, "of course, increasing the stall speed." Upon exiting the airplane, both pilots noticed a fire under the engine, but were able to clear the wreckage before the airplane caught fire. Examination of the wreckage by the aircraft manufacturer revealed, from the position of the flap-actuator, that the flaps were in the retracted position. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N20679](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N20679-2004-07-14), registration cancelled 2004-07-14, S/N 17261486, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20679 - Airframe hours: 3300 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Kendall D. Gentry - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 15, 2002, 110 hours before - Departed: PLK, Branson, MO - Destination: 3F7, Bristow, OK - Airport: 3F7, Jones Memorial Airport, runway 17, 3,400 × 45 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 6, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 1,111 total, 1,051 in this make and model, 1,035 as pilot in command, 68 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 54; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 29, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 243 total, 144 in this make and model, 206 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: OKM, 28 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 20030625018599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030625018599A), Jun 25, 2003: Cessna 172M, Bristow, OK, Destroyed. (-23) According to the pilot/owner he was allowing the other rated pilot to execute a touch and go landing when the aircraft bounced on touch down. The owner… 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.