Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mid-Way Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Midlothian, Texas 76065
Thursday, March 29, 2012 17:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that there was a 5 to 10 knot left crosswind while landing. He reported that he had no difficulty maintaining the runway centerline alignment during the final approach and touchdown. An uneventful touchdown was made on the runway centerline; however, during the landing roll, the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot stated that despite his increased use of right rudder to regain directional control, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and impacted a ditch. The nose landing gear collapsed when the airplane impacted the ditch. The pilot further noted that he had not experienced any ground-handling difficulties during the two takeoffs and one landing completed earlier that day.
A postaccident examination confirmed that the cockpit rudder pedals were operating properly. Additionally, no mechanical anomalies were revealed during a functional test of the brake system. A postaccident review of available wind data indicated that the accident airplane likely landed in a left quartering crosswind of about 5 knots with no appreciable gusts. In the absence of any significant crosswind or wind gust, and coupled with the lack of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions of the nose wheel steering or brake systems, the pilot should have been able to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/29/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1715 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Midlothian |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76065 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 322730N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0965445W |
| Event Location Airport | Mid-Way Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KJWY |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 727 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1715 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KJWY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 727 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2800 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.84 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KJWY 292155Z AUTO 16008KT 120V180 10SM SCT02 |
| 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) | 30212 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB Communications Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2012 5:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N480SP |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA214 |
| 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 | 172S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172S8025 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Mar 22 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | 1341 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Andrew C. Sambell |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Waxahachie |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75165-1705 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Andrew C. Sambell |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Waxahachie |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 75165-1705 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | TA65 |
| Departure City | Palo Pinto |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1615 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KJWY |
| Destination City | Midlothian |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2012 5:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 6500 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |