Triple W Air Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fuquay, North Carolina 27526
Saturday, May 13, 1989 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A SOLO-INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT LANDED HARD DURING HER FOURTH TOUCH-&-GO LANDING. SHE REPORTED THAT SHE DID NOT ADEQUATELY FLARE THE AIRPLANE AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO A SWAMPY AREA BESIDE THE RUNWAY AND WAS DAMAGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER FLARE BY THE STUDENT DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING, AND THE SOFT/WET (SWAMPY) TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FUQUAY
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27526
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRIPLE W AIR PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5W5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 244
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 437
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 1440
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 15 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39739
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N733VS
NTSB Number ATL89LA147
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17268588
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 29 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 245
Airframe Hours 2040
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARPER H HOUSE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3018 HAVEN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City RALEIGH
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27610
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HOUSE, HARPER H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1002 WAKE FORREST DR
Operator City RALEIGH
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27604
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1505
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 3004
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --