Saint Clair Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pell City, Alabama 35128
Sunday, October 12, 2003 10:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot stated that he was making a crosswind touch and go landing on runway 02. During the landing flare, the student pilot removed the crosswind correction, the student pilot lost directional control, the airplane drifted to the left above the runway, and collided with a tree. One wing received structural damage and the firewall was buckled.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind and his failure to maintain directional control during landing. A factor was the crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/12/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Pell City
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35128
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 333350N
Event Location Longitude 0861450W
Event Location Airport Saint Clair Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PLR
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 485
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID ANB
Elevation of weather observation facility 612
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) 1410
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19844
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Oct 12 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1255
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 28 2006 1:30PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Birmingham FSDO-09

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N52254
NTSB Number ATL04LA013
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17274462
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Sep 16 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 9147
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John L. Fallis
Aircraft Owner Street Address 136 Rodeo Drive
Aircraft Owner City Pell City
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35128
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 PLR
Departure City Pell City
Departure State AL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 940
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Jan 12 2004 3:06PM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 5002
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --