# NTSB FTW04CA205: Cessna 172N, N4865G, Cleveland, TX, August 4, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 4, 2004, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Cleveland, TX - Coordinates: 30.356388, -95.007774 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3564&lon=-95.0078&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 59822 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW04CA205 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59822/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04CA205 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper judgment of the airplanes altitude during landing. A contributing factor was the pilot's level of anxiety/apprehension after becoming lost/disoriented. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, cruise - normal - became lost/disoriented - encountered, pilot in command (contributing factor) - anxiety/apprehension, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - roadway/highway (cause) - precautionary landing - attempted, pilot in command - Nose over, landing ## Analysis The 32-hour student pilot reported that during landing to an open field, the airplane struck a slightly raised road and nosed over. The student pilot added that after departure on his solo cross-country, he became overwhelmed with a feeling of being lost, and eventually became sick. The student pilot stated that he needed to land as quickly as possible after realizing he couldn't find one of his checkpoints on the solo cross-country flight. ## Factual narrative On August 4, 2004, at 1630 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N single-engine airplane, N4865G, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing near Cleveland, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by United Flight Systems, of Spring, Texas. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The cross country flight originated from the David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH), near Spring, Texas, at 1540, and was destined for Lufkin, Texas. The 32-hour student pilot reported on the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that after departure on his solo cross-country flight, he received the initial heading of 028 degrees confused with 280 degrees. After arriving at his first checkpoint, he realized he was approximately 4 miles off course. Upon reaching what he thought was his second check point, he initiated a climb to 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl). During the flight to his next cross-country checkpoint, he realized he wasn't able to locate it. The student pilot stated that he developed an "overwhelming feeling of being lost," and eventually "felt very sick." The student pilot further reported that he thought that he was in the area of Cleveland, Texas, and attempted to look for the airport. After a brief search, he was unable to find the airport and decided he needed to land. After picking a suitable field for landing, he initiated a descent to "get down as quickly as possible." While on final approach, he saw a road and thought he would be high enough to clear it. However, the airplane impacted the road, nosed over, and came to rest in an inverted position. Examination of the airplane by an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed the left wing spar, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were bent. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4865G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4865G-2005-05-26), registration cancelled 2005-05-26, S/N 17273412, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17273412 - Airframe hours: 7490 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-HZAD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: United Flight Systems Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 21, 2004, 92 hours before - Departed: DWH, Spring, TX - Destination: LFK, Lufkin, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 19; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 32 total, 32 in this make and model, 7 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 91 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 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 20040804017829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040804017829A), Aug 4, 2004: Cessna 172N, Cleveland, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot reported he had an overwhelming feeling of being lost while enroute to lufkin, TX. He became sick and determined he could not continueto fly.… 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.