MIA03LA098

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172N · Foxworth, MS · April 10, 2003

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 10, 2003, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
Place
Foxworth, MS
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N738QMCessna 172N
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 28, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA Flight Standards District Office
FAA report
20030410003969A
Case key
56830

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 failure of the pilot to perform a go-around, his failure to attain the proper touchdown point, and his delay in applying the normal brakes resulting in his inability to stop the airplane and subsequent on-ground collision with a fence.

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.

OverrunLanding - roll
Go-around - not performedPilot in commandCause
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandCause
Brakes(normal) - delayedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - fence

Analysis

The pilot stated that before departure he did not obtain a formal weather briefing nor file a flight plan but he did monitor the AWOS at the departure airport. After takeoff the flight proceeded to the destination airport (Circle Bar Ranch) where he flew overflew the airstrip and observed the windsock which indicated the wind was from the northeast at approximately 10 knots. He entered the traffic pattern for runway 09, and twice performed a go-around following two approaches to the runway. Following the second approach, the wind was from the northwest and he entered the traffic pattern for a full-stop landing on runway 27. Full flaps were extended for landing which he reported occurred about 1/4 down the runway, at an indicated airspeed between 55-60 knots. He held the nose landing gear off the ground and reported, "...played with the brakes", and "tapped them" between the time the nose landing gear contacted the runway and the midpoint of the runway where the airplane had decelerated aerodynamically to between 45-50 knots. At midpoint of the runway, with the throttle at idle and the flaps fully extended, the airplane accelerated to between 70 and 80 knots. He applied the brakes heavily but recognized the airplane would not stop on the remaining runway. With obstructions past the departure end of the runway, he intentionally maneuvered the airplane off the left side of the runway onto grass in the belief that the grass would help slow the airplane. The airplane traveled through a barb wire fence and 4-foot shallow embankment, then onto a road where the airplane came to rest upright with the nose landing gear wheel assembly separated. The pilot further stated that at the point the airplane accelerated, the engine did not accelerate. He additionally reported post accident there was no mechanical failure or malfunction and he did not apply the brakes early on due to the fact that he did not want to apply power to taxi up an incline to the ramp where the airplane was to be parked. Several witnesses reported that the airplane landed about the midpoint of the runway. Examination of the runway by the FAA inspector-in-charge revealed the runway was 2,400 feet in length by 43 feet in width; the runway midpoint has a slight rise. Examination of skid marks revealed the airplane departed the south side of the runway 27, approximately 204 feet before the departure end of the runway. The airplane traveled approximately 492 feet, collided with a barbed wire fence then rolled onto a private road.

Factual narrative

On April 10, 2003, about 1100 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N738QM, collided with a fence during the landing roll at a private airstrip located on Circle Bar Ranch, Foxworth, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated about 1030, from the Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

The pilot stated that before departure he did not obtain a formal weather briefing nor file a flight plan, but he did monitor the AWOS at the departure airport. After takeoff the flight proceeded to the destination airport (Circle Bar Ranch) where he overflew the airstrip and observed the windsock which indicated the wind was from the northeast at approximately 10 knots. He entered the traffic pattern for runway 09, and twice performed a go-around following two approaches to the runway. Following the second approach, the wind was from the northwest and he entered the traffic pattern for a full-stop landing on runway 27. Full flaps were extended for landing which he reported occurred about 1/4 down the runway, at an indicated airspeed between 55-60 knots. He held the nose landing gear off the ground and reported, "...played with the brakes", and "tapped them" between the time the nose landing gear contacted the runway and the midpoint of the runway where the airplane had decelerated aerodynamically to between 45-50 knots. At midpoint of the runway, with the throttle at idle and the flaps fully extended, the airplane accelerated to between 70 and 80 knots. He applied the brakes heavily but recognized the airplane would not stop on the remaining runway. With obstructions past the departure end of the runway, he intentionally maneuvered the airplane off the left side of the runway onto grass in the belief that the grass would help slow the airplane. The airplane traveled through a barb wire fence and 4-foot shallow embankment, then onto a road where the airplane came to rest upright with the nose landing gear wheel assembly separated. The pilot further stated that at the point the airplane accelerated, the engine did not accelerate. He additionally reported post accident there was no mechanical failure or malfunction and he did not apply the brakes early on due to the fact that he did not want to apply power to taxi up an incline to the ramp where the airplane was to be parked.

Several witnesses reported that the airplane landed about the midpoint of the runway.

Examination of the runway by the FAA inspector-in-charge revealed the runway was 2,400 feet in length by 43 feet in width; the runway midpoint has a slight rise. Examination of skid marks revealed the airplane departed the south side of the runway 27, approximately 204 feet before the departure end of the runway. The airplane traveled approximately 492 feet, collided with a barbed wire fence then rolled onto a private road.

Aircraft

Registration
N738QM
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17270155
Airframe hours
5,344.8
Engine
Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Owen C. Bass
Registered owner
Cary E. Williams
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 1, 2002 · 91 hours before
Departed
KHBG · Hattiesburg, MS
Destination
Foxworth, MS
Airport
Circle Bar Ranch, runway 27, 2,400 × 43 ft, asphalt

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
35
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
February 9, 2002
Seat
Left
Flight hours
143 total · 88 in this make and model · 93 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
350° at 12 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
55 °F, dew point 36 °F
Altimeter
30.11 inHg
Observed at
KMCB

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N738QM · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.