- Date
- November 21, 1994, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Blanco, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N65275Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941121038799A
- Case key
- 19310
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 use of unsuitable terrain for takeoff. Factors were the uphill terrain, the long vegetation, and short takeoff area available.
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
During takeoff from an unimproved 885 foot long field, marked by uphill conditions and tall grass, and ringed by a fence, the pilot was unable to gain sufficient altitude to clear the fence. The aircraft struck the fence with the nose gear and nosed over to the inverted position.
Factual narrative
On November 21, 1994, at 1730 central standard time, a Cessna 172P, N65275, was substantially damaged during takeoff near Blanco, Texas. The private pilot was not injured on this personal flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
In the Pilot/Operator report, the pilot stated that another pilot previously landed the airplane in an oat field due to a throttle malfunction. The throttle was repaired and the pilot was going to fly the airplane out to its home base, about 1 1/2 miles to the north. The pilot further reported that he checked the engine and "found it to work properly." "Full power was obtained, but the aircraft was slow to gain altitude because of high grass." The nose gear subsequently struck a fence at the end of the field and the airplane flipped over, coming to rest 170 feet from the fence. The pilot reported that the winds were calm at the time of the accident.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the site, the field was 885 feet in length, uphill, and covered with grass one foot tall.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65275
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275719
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-02J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- White, Rickey L.
- Registered owner
- Hangar Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 3, 1994 · 3 hours before
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 899 total · 170 in this make and model · 861 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.