Midlothian/Waxahachie Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Midlothian, Texas 76065
Tuesady, January 5, 1999 10:10 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of 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 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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/5/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MIDLOTHIAN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76065
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport MIDLOTHIAN/WAXAHACHIE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4T6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 713
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 5 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1125
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 20 2001 4:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N80253
NTSB Number FTW99LA063
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 172-66478
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 15 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 8557
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARK HOWELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3122 GREAT SOUTHWESTERN PKWY
Aircraft Owner City GRAND PRAIRIE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75052
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GPM
Departure City GRAND PRAIRIE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 4T6
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 20 2001 4:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --