# NTSB FTW82DA248: Cessna 172P Robertson Stol, N55276, Fort Worth, TX, June 25, 1982

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: June 25, 1982, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place: Fort Worth, TX
- Coordinates: 32.749744, -97.330947 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7497&lon=-97.3309&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 25, 1983
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 70722
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW82DA248
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/70722/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW82DA248

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - inadequate transition/upgrade training, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor)
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A ROBERTSON STOL KIT. AFTER OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT IN SLOW FLIGHT ABOUT 1/2 HR, THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND. THE APPROACH WAS FLOWN AT 45 KTS WITH A 500 FT/MIN SINK RATE. POWER WAS ADDED TO ARREST THE SINK RATE JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, BUT REPORTEDLY, TOO MUCH WAS APPLIED AND THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND BALLOONED IN THE AIR. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT OVERREACTED AND REDUCED TOO MUCH POWER, THEN THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AGAIN. AFTER THE SECOND BOUNCE, FULL POWER WAS APPLIED, BUT THE PLANE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND TOUCHED DOWN IN A SOFT AREA. THE NOSE GEAR SHEARED OFF IN THE SOFT TERRAIN AND THE PLANE FLIPPED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S RESPONSE TO POWER. HE ASSUMED THAT FROM HIS EXPERIENCE IN OTHER MODELS, HE COULD FLY THE STOL MODEL OF THE CESSNA 172.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N55276](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55276-1992-07-22), registration cancelled 1992-07-22, S/N 17275149 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P ROBERTSON STOL (172P ROBER)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17275149
- Airframe hours: 32
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Texas Westaire Inc.
- Registered owner: Perry R. Bass Inc.
- Departed: F71, FORT WORTH, TX
- Destination: F71, FORT WORTH, TX
- Airport: F71, Luck Field, runway 34, 3,500 × 40 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 1,048 total, 1 in this make and model, 982 as pilot in command, 63 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 176 °F

## 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 19820625025029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820625025029A), Jun 25, 1982: Cessna 172P, Ft Worth, TX, Substantial damage. Aircraft bounced and drifted off runway. Touched down on soft shoulder shearing nose gear.

## Other investigations on N55276 (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 BFO91LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO91LA016), Dec 2, 1990: Cessna 172P (N55276), Axton, VA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE WITH AN OBSTACLE. CONTRIBUTING WAS AN UNMARKED POWERLINE AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.

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.