- Date
- June 29, 1995, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Weston, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9502DCessna 172RG
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950629016009A
- Case key
- 19484
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 receiving instruction's failure to maintain clearance with power lines while maneuvering at low altitude and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision. A factor was the instructor's decision to allow the simulation to continue to such a low altitude.
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 top 6 inches of the vertical stabilizer and rudder separated from the airframe after the airplane struck a power line during recovery from a simulated forced landing. The power line was suspended 25 feet above the ground. Neither the flight instructor nor the pilot receiving instruction reported seeing the wire prior to impact. The instructor took over the controls after the pilot flying reported a lost of rudder effectiveness. A successful precautionary landing was made at a nearby airport.
Factual narrative
On June 29, 1995, at 1630 central daylight time, a Cessna 172RG, N9502D, was substantially damaged after impacting a wire near Weston, Texas. The flight instructor and a commercial pilot receiving instruction were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight.
According to the operator, the flight departed the Addison Airport at 1520 on an instructional flight in preparation for a certified flight instructor (CFI) check ride. After executing a simulated forced landing to an open field, the airplane struck a power line 25 feet above the ground while recovering from the simulated emergency.
Neither pilot reported seeing the wire prior to impact. The commercial pilot flying reported losing rudder effectiveness after impact with the wire. The instructor pilot elected to take the controls of the aircraft and flew to a nearby airport, where he made a successful precautionary landing. Examination of the airplane revealed that the top 6 inches from the rudder and vertical stabilizer had separated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9502D
- Reported as
- Cessna 172RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172RG1190
- Airframe hours
- 6,885
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-F1A6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Ate Of Texas, doing business as American Flyers
- Registered owner
- Five By Five Ohio
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 31, 1995 · 68 hours before
- Departed
- ADS · Addison, TX
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 29
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,100 total · 65 in this make and model · 120 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 83 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ADS, 30 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.