- Date
- November 12, 2003, 01:30 local (07:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mineral Wells, TX
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N95604Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Fort Worth FSDO
- FAA report
- 20031112031319A
- Case key
- 58332
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 pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
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
The airplane departed on a night cross country flight. Shortly after take off, when the airplane was approximately 250 to 300 feet above the ground, it was observed to descend straight down toward the ground, nose first. The pilot has no recollection of the flight after he took off. Examination of the airplane revealed there were no mechanical deficiencies.
Factual narrative
On November 12, 2003, at 0130 central standard time, a Cessna 152 single-engine airplane, N95604, was substantially damaged following a loss of control shortly after take-off from Runway 13 at the Mineral Wells Airport (MWL), near Mineral Wells, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by the State of Texas, Waco, Texas. The private pilot and the passenger were seriously injured. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
In a written statement, a witness reported that she observed the airplane taxi to the end of the runway, turn around, and depart. When the airplane was approximately 250 to 300 feet above the ground, it "came straight down nose end first."
The pilot stated that he had no recollection of the flight after take-off.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, performed an examination of the airplane. The examination revealed that the airplane impacted the runway, skidded, and came to rest about 60 feet from where it initially impacted. Three propeller strikes were engraved in the asphalt just forward of the initial impact point. The left wing, engine, propeller and cockpit area were substantially damaged. The flaps were retracted, and the elevator trim tab was in the neutral position. Flight control continuity was established, and no mechanical deficiencies were noted.
The pilot reported a total of 220.2 flight hours; 89 hours in make and model, of which, 34.8 hours were at night.
Weather reported at the airport at 0153 was wind from 160 degrees at 6 knots, and clear skies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95604
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 152-85935
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- State Of Texas
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MWL · Mineral Wells, TX
- Destination
- WCO · Waco, TX
- Airport
- MWL · Mineral Wells, runway 130, 6,000 × 100 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
- 27
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- August 7, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 220 total · 89 in this make and model · 126 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- MWL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.