HOUSTON, TX, USA
N6542F
CESSNA 172N
DURING THE DOWNWIND LEG THE PILOT BEGAN LOOKING FOR ANOTHER AIRPLANE IN THE PATTERN. HE TOUCHED DOWN TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY WITH THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL STRUCK AN AIRPLANE, GOLF CART, AND A BUILDING. THE PILOT HAD 3.1 HOURS TOTAL TIME IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE.
On June 18, 1995, at 1245 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N6542F, received substantial damage following a loss of control while landing near Houston, Texas. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and a flight plan was not filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross country flight which originated from Navasota, Texas, at 1200. The information in this paragraph was reported on the enclosed Pilot/Operator Report, witness statements, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector's statement. Two touch and goes were performed at the Weiser Air Park, Houston, Texas, prior to the round trip departure flight to the Navasota Municipal Airport (60R), Navasota, Texas. The first leg of the trip was uneventful and upon returning to Houston, the airplane entered the downwind for one touch and go followed by a full stop landing on runway 09. During the downwind pattern for the full stop landing, another airplane entered the pattern for landing behind N6542F. The pilot was distracted as he looked for the other airplane, entered final approach aligned to the right of the runway with the airspeed a "little slow." During the landing roll the right main gear touched down on the grass to the right side of the runway. The pilot stated that he pulled the "throttle but not enough and the brakes were not holding." As the airplane continued to roll it struck, the empennage of a parked airplane, a towbar attached to a golf cart, and the side of a metal hangar (located along the right side of the runway). Winds were reported from the east/southeast at 10 knots. The FAA inspector examined the airplanes and reported that N6542F sustained damage to the engine cowling, propeller, right wing structure, and the cockpit windshield. The parked airplane, a Piper PA-34-200T, N1007X, sustained damage to the rudder, horizontal stabilizer, and empennage aft of the baggage compartment. The golf cart and the hangar sustained substantial damage. A Private Pilot Certificate was issued to the pilot on April 23, 1994. A review of the pilot's logbook indicated that his training was conducted in the Piper PA-28 airplane. On May 5, 1995, the pilot received 0.7 hour of dual instruction in N6452F. The private pilot's total flight time in high wing aircraft, including the day of the accident, was 3.1 hours.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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