MIDLOTHIAN, TX, USA
N80253
Cessna 172M
According to the FAA inspector who responded to the accident site, the 24 hour student pilot had flown with his flight instructor from the home base airport to a nearby uncontrolled airport for a supervised solo flight. After a few practice takeoffs and landings at the uncontrolled airport, the flight instructor exited the airplane and cleared the student pilot for a solo flight. The student pilot reported that while on short final for runway 18, 'he caught a gust of wind from the left which pushed the left wing up and banked the airplane to the right.' The student added that he applied full engine power to perform a go-around, yet the nose pitched down. The student stated that the airplane impacted the ground on the west side of the runway in a nose low attitude with the right wing down. The airplane came to rest in the inverted position, approximately 100 feet from the edge of the runway. The flaps were found extended approximately 15 degrees. The winds at the time of the accidents were estimated to be from 150 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 20.
On January 5, 1999, at 1010 central standard time, a Cessna 172M airplane, N80253, was substantially damaged during impact with terrain while landing near Midlothian, Texas. The solo student pilot was not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to the FAA inspector who responded to the accident site, the 24 hour student pilot had flown with his flight instructor from the Grand Prairie Airport to the Midlothian/Waxahachie Municipal Airport for his second supervised solo flight. After a few practice takeoffs and landings at the Midlothian Airport, the flight instructor exited the airplane and cleared the student pilot for the solo flight. The student pilot reported that while on short final for runway 18, at approximately 10 feet above the ground, he "caught a gust of wind from the left which pushed the left wing up and banked the airplane to the right." The 39-year old pilot reported that he attempted to execute a go-around with full power, but was unable to control the airplane and the nose pitched down. The student stated that the airplane impacted the ground on the west side of the runway in a nose low attitude with the right wing down. The airplane came to rest in the inverted position, approximately 100 feet from the edge of the runway. On the enclosed NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the flight instructor reported that the airplane "bounced and became airborne." The instructor added that the student pilot initiated a go-around by adding full power, "but applied too much up elevator which resulted in a stall." The flight instructor added that the student was unable to recover the airplane "after the right wing dropped sharply." The operator told the NTSB investigator-in-charge that the flight instructor who witnessed the airplane was over 4,000 feet away from the accident site, thus he believed that "the student's version of the accident sequence was probably more accurate." Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that the powerplant separated from the airframe, and the nose section and both wings sustained structural damage. The flaps were found extended approximately 15 degrees. The winds at the time of the accidents were estimated to be from 150 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 20.
The student pilot's failure to compensate for a crosswind resulting in a loss of control. Factors were the gusty high winds and the flight instructor's improper decision to allow the student to solo during high winds.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
