- Date
- May 14, 2019, 16:19 local (21:19 UTC)
- Place
- Tomball, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8159UCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190514004629A
- Case key
- 99439
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 failure to maintain directional control during landing with a left crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent nose-over.
Findings · 3
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, he made flight control and power setting inputs to compensate for a left crosswind. He added that, shortly after touchdown, the nosewheel "violently shimmied," so he applied back pressure on the control yoke, and the airplane began "to roll and yaw to the right." The student applied left rudder control, and the nosewheel began to shimmy again. The airplane travelled toward the left edge of the runway, and the student decided to apply heavy braking. The airplane encountered soft soil and subsequently nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that, during landing, he made flight control and power setting inputs to compensate for a left crosswind. Shortly after touch down, the nose wheel "violently shimmied" so he applied back pressure on the control yoke and the airplane began to roll and yaw to the right. The pilot reacted with left rudder control and the nose wheel began to shimmy again. The airplane travelled toward the left edge of the runway and the pilot made the decision to apply heavy braking. The airplane encountered soft soil and subsequently nosed over coming to a stop inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8159U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17252059
- Built
- 1964
- Engine
- Continental O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- MJH Aero Inc
- Registered owner
- MJH Aero Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DWH · Houston, TX
- Destination
- DWH · Houston, TX
- Airport
- DWH · David Wayne Hooks Memorial, runway 17R, 7,009 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KDWH
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 505 KB 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.