# NTSB FTW98LA212: Cessna 172P, N99570, Georgetown, TX, May 10, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 10, 1998, 11:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Georgetown, TX - Coordinates: 30.65043, -97.750732 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6504&lon=-97.7507&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 30, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20600 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA212 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20600/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA212 ## Probable cause inadequate supervision by the flight instructor (CFI), by failing to ensure that the student obtained and/or maintained sufficient airspeed, which led to an inadvertent stall and collision with the terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - airspeed - not obtained/maintained, flightcrew (cause) - stall - inadvertent, flightcrew (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis According to law enforcement personnel that responded to the accident site, the 18 hour student pilot was undergoing a phase check with his flight instructor (CFI). While demonstrating a soft field takeoff from runway 36, the student held the nose of the airplane in a very high attitude after the airplane lifted off. The CFI stated that 'the airspeed decayed rapidly and the airplane stalled.' He said that he took the controls 'too late to rescue the airplane.' Subsequent to the stall, the airplane touched down hard on one wheel and started to drift off the runway. The operator reported that the airplane came to rest in the infield area, approximately 65 feet from the runway. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that both wings, the fuselage, and the engine firewall had sustained structural damage. ## Factual narrative On May 10, 1998, at 1145 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P airplane, N99570, was substantially damaged following a loss of control during initial takeoff climb near Georgetown, Texas. The flight instructor and the student pilot were not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by I Can Aviation Inc., of Georgetown, Texas, under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight for which no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from the Georgetown Municipal Airport approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident. According to law enforcement personnel that responded to the accident site, the 18 hour student pilot was undergoing a phase check with his flight instructor. While demonstrating a soft field takeoff from runway 36, the student pilot held the nose of the airplane in a very high attitude after the airplane broke ground. The flight instructor stated that "the airspeed decayed rapidly and the airplane stalled." He added that he took the controls "too late to rescue the airplane." Subsequent to the stall, the airplane landed hard on one wheel and started to drifted off the runway. The operator reported that the airplane came to rest in the infield area, approximately 65 feet from the runway. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that both wings, the fuselage and the engine firewall sustained structural damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99570](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N99570-2003-12-02), registration cancelled 2003-12-02, S/N 17276470, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172-76470 - Airframe hours: 4504 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Michael S. Zucker, doing business as I Can Aviation - Registered owner: Hamilton Enterprises, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 10, 1998, 50 hours before - Departed: GTU - Airport: GTU, Georgetown Municipal, runway 36, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 8,270 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 7,964 as pilot in command, 105 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °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 19980510008629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980510008629A), May 10, 1998: Cessna 172P, Georgetown, TX, Substantial damage. Student held extreme nose high altitude on takeoff, stalling and landing hard instructor took controls too late. (-23) instructor & student practicing soft… 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.