- Date
- July 8, 1999, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Mattituck, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7164QCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990708047079A
- Case key
- 46970
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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the solo flight.
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.
Analysis
The student pilot was practicing solo takeoffs and landings to Runway 01. During one of the landings, the airplane veered off to the left side of the runway, and struck shrubbery. The flight instructor stated that he included a 10-knot wind restriction when he endorsed the student pilot's logbook for solo privileges. The flight instructor was present during the accident flight. He did not obtain a weather briefing, but stated that the wind socks indicated the wind was less than 10 knots. At an airport approximately 10 miles southwest of the accident site, the reported winds were from 350 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 23 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 8, 1999, about 1545 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cessna 172, N7164Q, was substantially damaged while landing at Mattituck Airport (21N), Mattituck, New York. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight. No flight plan was filed for the instructional solo flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The student pilot was practicing solo takeoffs and landings to Runway 01 at 21N. He stated: "During the second landing and as I approached the runway I experienced gusty winds. I touched down on the main gears however I could not keep the aircraft in a straight line and lost control over it."
According to the certified flight instructor, the student pilot had completed three solo flights before the accident flight. The student pilot had approximately 40 hours of flight experience. While landing, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, and struck shrubbery. The flight instructor further stated that he included a 10-knot wind restriction when he endorsed the student pilot's logbook for solo privileges. When asked about the wind conditions, the flight instructor stated that he did not obtain a weather briefing, and wind conditions were not reported at 21N. However, the wind socks indicated the wind was less than 10 knots.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the student pilot report any.
At an airport approximately 10 miles southwest of the accident site, at 1553, the reported winds were from 350 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 23 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7164Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 60464
- Airframe hours
- 1,994
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 lbs thrust, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Oriented Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 31, 1999 · 78 hours before
- Departed
- 21N
- Airport
- 21N · Mattituck Airbase, runway 1, 2,200 × 130 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
- 38
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 43 total · 28 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FOK, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.