Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gorman, Texas 76454
Sunday, June 29, 1997 15:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The student pilot elected to make a precautionary landing due to low fuel concerns (not knowing how much fuel remained). She reported the gauges indicated EMPTY. The engine continued to run. The airplane had flown 69 minutes since refueling. En route, the COM/NAV equipment did not operate for the pilot. The amps looked 'OK.' The pilot saw a private airport with power lines and trees; however, she 'did not feel comfortable landing there, due to the powerlines and trees.' She decided to land the airplane in a field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted in soft sand. There were no known maintenance discrepancies prior to the flight. The student pilot had 154.8 hrs in the airplane(34.2 hrs solo, 74.6 hrs. local dual, 12.5 hrs solo x-country, and 33.5 hrs dual x-country with dual instruction to all points of this x-country route). The flight instructor reported working with the student 'on decision making for a long time.' The electrically operated flaps were found in the fully extended position and the airplane contained 12 gallons of fuel. Following a recharge of the battery, the fuel tanks were filled, the fuel gauges read 'FULL,' and the COM/NAV equipment operated. A mechanic performed tests of the fuel indication and transmitting system and reported that the test indicated 'no malfunctions of either system.'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the student pilot's improper inflight planning/decision, and selection of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing. Factors relating to the accident were: a fluctuation in the electrical system, due to an undetermined reason, the student pilot's lack of confidence in her personal ability, and soft terrain in the precautionary landing area.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/29/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1545 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | GORMAN |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76454 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| 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 | 4000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 225 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 698 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 29 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2203 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6099L |
| NTSB Number | FTW97LA243 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 152 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 152 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15284356 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1675 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 18 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GAZELLE AIR, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | RT 5 BOX 158E |
| Aircraft Owner City | TEMPLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76501 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | SPENCER JONES |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | RT 5 BOX 158E |
| Operator City | TEMPLE |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 76501 |
| 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 | BKD |
| Departure City | BRECKENRIDGE |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1532 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BWD |
| Destination City | BROWNWOOD |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |