# NTSB FTW03LA231: Cessna 172S, N168ME, Houston, TX, September 25, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 25, 2003, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.818056, -95.67028 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8181&lon=-95.6703&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 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58006 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW03LA231 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58006/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA231 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a landing. A contributing factor was the pilot's diverted attention while performing the after landing check. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The 17-hour student pilot attempted his third landing of his first supervised solo flight, and lost control of the airplane after touching down on runway 15. The pilot was distracted when he looked for the flap handle to retract the flaps, and the airplane veered to the left off the hard surface runway, crossed a ditch, and nosed-over. Runway 15 is 3,953 feet long, by 75 feet wide. ## Factual narrative On September 25, 2003, approximately 0915 central daylight time, a Cessna 172S single-engine airplane, N168ME, sustained substantial damage following a loss of directional control while landing during a supervised solo flight at the West Houston Airport, near Houston, Texas (IWS). The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 local flight. On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the 17-hour student pilot reported that on the third landing of the first supervised solo flight he lost control of the airplane after touching down on Runway 15. The pilot was distracted when he looked for the flap handle to retract the flaps, and the airplane veered to the left off the hard surface runway, crossed a ditch, and nosed-over. Runway 15 is 3,953 feet long, by 75 feet wide. The FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported that there was structural damage to the engine firewall, engine mounts, and vertical stabilizer. Additionally, the windshield was broken, and the airframe buckled aft of the fuselage. The weather 12 nautical miles from West Houston Airport, at 0853, was reported as variable winds at 5 knots, temperature 79 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 71 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure of 30.01 inches Hg. The visibility was 5 statute miles and clear with some haze. ## Aircraft - Registration: N168ME (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1725-8448 - Airframe hours: 820 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: Robert McIllhenny - Registered owner: Adelle B. Willcox - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 22, 2003, 66 hours before - Departed: Houston, TX - Airport: IWS, West Houston Airport, runway 15, 3,953 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 35; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 17 total, 17 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg ## 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 20030925025209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030925025209A), Sep 25, 2003: Cessna 172S, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) After third landing, during first supervised solo, student lost directional control when he looked at flap handle and retracted flaps while still rolling… 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.