- Date
- March 31, 2019, 10:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Stephenville, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N902RACessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-aborted after touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190331002299A
- Case key
- 99210
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 student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control in gusting crosswind conditions that exceeded the airplane’s demonstrated crosswind for landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose-over.
Findings · 7
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane was configured with flaps 30° and that the airspeed was 70 knots. When the airplane was over the runway, he reduced the throttle to idle and initiated the landing flare. The airplane descended rapidly, landed hard, and bounced. He aborted the landing, "but the wind caught me and the next thing I knew, I was facing the taxiway." The airplane exited the left side of the runway into grass and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The METAR at the airport reported that, at the time of the accident, the wind was from 050° at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 32. According to the manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook, the maximum demonstrated crosswind is 15 knots. The crosswind component for the accident flight was 16 knots.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that during landing, the airplane was configured with flaps 30°, and the airspeed was 70 knots. When the airplane was over the runway, he reduced the throttle to idle and initiated the landing flare. The airplane descended rapidly, landed hard and bounced. He aborted the landing, "but the wind caught me and the next thing I knew, I was facing the taxiway." The airplane exited the left side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut. The METAR for the accident airport, reported that at the time of the accident, the wind was from 050° at 12 knots, and gusting to 20 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 32. According to the manufacturer's Pilot Operating Handbook, the maximum demonstrated crosswind is 15 knots. The crosswind component for the accident flight was 16 knots. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N902RA
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (L)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17260190
- Built
- 1971
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rich Aviation Services Llc
- Registered owner
- Rich Aviation Services Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 8, 2018
- Departed
- WEA · Weatherford, TX
- Destination
- WEA · Weatherford, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- SEP · Stephenville Clark Rgnl, runway 32, 4,209 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 42.2 total · 38.2 in this make and model · 6.1 as pilot in command · 10.1 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.42 inHg
- Observed at
- KSEP
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.