INDEPENDENCE, MO, USA
N738LX
CESSNA 172
AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 35, ITS LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD OF AN AUTOMOBILE. THE AUTOMOBILE WAS WESTBOUND ON A ROAD LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTH BOUNDARY OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED DURING SHORT FINAL. HE STATED HE DROPPED THE NOSE AND BELIEVED HE COULD REACH THE RUNWAY, WHEN SUDDENLY HE FELT AN IMPACT. THE PASSENGER IN THE CAR REPORTED SHE SAW THE AIRPLANE COMING IN '. . . VERY SLOW, VERY LOW AND FLUTTERING FROM SIDE TO SIDE . . .' AND SHE THOUGHT IT WOULD PASS OVERHEAD. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT SEE THE CAR BEFORE IMPACT.
On October 10, 1993, at 0916 hours central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N738LX, piloted by a private pilot on a pleasure flight, struck a car while landing on Runway 35 at Independence, Missouri. The airplane was damaged beyond economical repair, and the car was substantially damaged. The pilot, three airplane passengers, and two automobile occupants reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Lee's Summit, Missouri, approximately 0900 hours. The pilot stated "...it was a normal base and final...As I approached the threshold I felt I was a bit high...When full flaps were applied the stall warning sounded, so I dropped the nose, and felt I could make the runway, when suddenly I felt the impact... ." The right main landing gear contacted the windshield and hood of an automobile. The pilot stated he never saw the car, which was westbound on a road located along the south airport boundary. The passenger in the car reported she noticed the airplane when it was over the fence row about 25 feet from the road. She stated "...It was coming in very slow and very low and fluttering from side to side...I thought it would go over us. We weren't going very fast and had our seatbelts fastened, so we didn't feel much of an impact. It did knock the car sideways, ripping off the hood and shattering the front window." The pilot's statement, airplane passenger statements, automobile occupant statements, and a ground witness statement are appended. An airport diagram is also appended.
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF DISTANCE, ALTITUDE, AND SPEED ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN OBSTACLE CLEARANCE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE PROXIMITY OF THE VEHICLE TO THE APPROACH PATH WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
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