- Date
- September 1, 1995, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bonham, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5798JCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 21, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950901047979A
- Case key
- 19567
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 partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors were the high density altitude and lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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 flight's destination was a farm near Bonham. During a low approach over the farm field, the pilot decided to abort the landing and go to Jones Field. During the aborted landing, a partial loss of engine power occurred. As the airplane descended toward a barn and trees, the pilot banked the airplane to the left and missed the barn. The left wing struck trees and the airplane impacted the ground coming to rest inverted. During an engine test run throughout a range of power settings, no mechanical discrepancies were found. The pilot reported a 102 degree (F) temperature, an altimeter setting of 30.00, and a site elevation of 600 feet. Utilizing this data, the calculated density altitude exceeded 3,000 feet.
Factual narrative
On September 1, 1995, at 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N5798J, collided with trees during an aborted landing near Bonham, Texas. The private pilot and one passenger received minor injuries and the other passenger was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Centerline Aviation operated the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross country flight and a flight plan was not filed.
The pilot reported that the flight had departed Addison, Texas, approximately 1420, en route to a farm near Bonham. During a low approach over the farm field, the pilot decided to abort the landing and go to Jones Field at Bonham. When the pilot "pushed in [the] throttle, plane sputtered then resumed power." On climb out, the airplane "sputtered again." From 80 to 90 feet above the ground, the airplane descended to 30 to 50 feet toward a barn and trees. With the airplane continuing the descent, the pilot banked the airplane to the left and missed the barn; however, the left wing struck trees and the airplane impacted the ground coming to rest nose down. Structural damage occurred to the firewall, right wing, and fuselage.
An engine test run (sheet enclosed) was conducted in the presence of the owner's representative and the FAA inspector. Throughout a range of power settings, no mechanical discrepancies were found.
The pilot reported a Fahrenheit temperature of 102 degrees, an altimeter setting of 30.00 inches, and the site elevation as 600 feet. Utilizing this data, the calculated density altitude exceeded 3,000 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5798J
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273838
- Airframe hours
- 5,361
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Centerline Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Kurt S. Brent
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 27, 1995 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- ADS · Addison, TX
- Destination
- NONE · TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 108 total · 21 in this make and model · 87 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 102 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.