# NTSB FTW96LA014: Cessna 172M, N73357, Sugar Land, TX, October 9, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 9, 1995, 17:20 local (22:20 UTC) - Place: Sugar Land, TX - Coordinates: 29.610221, -95.610725 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6102&lon=-95.6107&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 29, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19686 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW96LA014 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19686/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA014 ## Probable cause the student pilot's diverted attention and failure to maintain directional control. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - roll/run ## Analysis During the takeoff roll on runway 17, approximately 800-900 feet, the student pilot 'looked down at the airspeed indicator and lost attention to direction of [the] plane.' After approximately 300 feet the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. The student pilot 'forgot to cut the power [and] tried to steer back onto the runway;' however, the airplane continued to the southeast and came to rest in a drainage ditch. ## Factual narrative On October 9, 1995, at 1720 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N73357, registered to, and operated by West Houston Aero Club, Inc., as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, was substantially damaged following a loss of directional control during a takeoff roll at Sugar Land Municipal Airport, Sugar Land, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for unsupervised solo flight. The student pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. A witness who observed the takeoff roll, reported that, he saw the airplane "veer about 45 degrees left and exit the runway surface." The aircraft crossed the grass median, crossed the parallel taxiway, and came to rest 100 yards past the parallel taxiway on "its left wing in a nose low attitude." The student pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Report that, during takeoff roll on runway 17, approximately 800- 900 feet, he "looked down at the airspeed indicator and lost attention to direction of [the] plane." After approximately 300 feet the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. He further reported that, he "forgot to cut the power [and] tried to steer back onto the runway;" however, the airplane continued to the southeast and came to rest in a drainage ditch. An examination of the airplane by a FAA inspector revealed that, the elevator was damaged, the horizontal stabilizer was twisted, and the left main landing gear was bent up. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N73357](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N73357), registered now, S/N 17267398, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17267398 - Airframe hours: 4247 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: West Houston Aero Club - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 27, 1995, 157 hours before - Departed: SGR - Airport: SGR, Sugar Land Municipal, runway 17, 8,000 × 100 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 36 total, 36 in this make and model, 2 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 3 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: SGR ## 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 19951009046739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951009046739A), Oct 9, 1995: Cessna 172M, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. Lost directional control on takeoff roll. Exited runway and nosed up. Pilot reported he lost it looking at airspeed 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.