Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary FTW99LA040

FORT WORTH, TX, USA

Aircraft #1

N4755B

Cessna 152

Analysis

During the full stop landing, the airplane exited the runway and traveled down an incline before coming to rest. The student pilot, sole occupant, reported that this was his second solo flight and that he applied the wrong rudder during the landing roll.

Factual Information

On December 1, 1998, at 1203 central standard time, a Cessna 152 airplane, N4755B, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain during the landing roll on runway 16R at the Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, Fort Worth, Texas. The airplane was owned by a private individual and operated by Aer Mistral, Fort Worth, Texas, under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the local solo instructional flight which departed the airport approximately 1130. The 25 hour student pilot reported to the FAA inspector that this flight was his second solo flight in the aircraft. He had practiced pattern work at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport and returned to the Meacham Airport. During the full stop landing at Meacham, he performed a "normal landing and then applied the wrong rudder." The airplane exited the right side of the runway and traveled down an incline before coming to rest. The FAA inspector found the nose gear trunion and the engine mount bent. The operator reported that the lower left portion of the engine mount was bent 25 to 30 degrees. A review of the air traffic data by the investigator-in-charge revealed that the inbound flight requested a full stop landing at the Meacham Airport. Following a landing clearance for runway 16L, the pilot performed a go-around. Subsequently, the tower controller reissued the clearance for runway 16L and requested that the pilot execute a short approach to the runway. The pilot requested and was approved to extend the left downwind pattern; however, due to other landing traffic, the controller changed the landing runway to 16R. The pilot performed a go-around from runway 16R, and the controller issued a clearance for a right downwind pattern to runway 16R. During the landing roll, the airplane exited runway 16R and traveled down a hill before stopping.

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot's loss of directional control due to improper use of the rudder. A factor was the hilly terrain beyond the departure end of the runway.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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