Cessna R172E accident near Gladewater, TX
On March 27, 1995, a Cessna R172E (airplane) was involved in an accident near Gladewater, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 27, 1995
- Place
- Gladewater, TX
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172E · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 32.540°N, 94.941°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03110
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 27, 1995, approximately 0900 central standard time, a Cessna R172E, N1438Z was destroyed during an uncontrolled descent shortly after takeoff at Gladewater Municipal Airport, Gladewater, Texas. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the pipeline inspection flight. Witnesses reported the following information to the investigator- in-charge. The airplane was preflighted and fueled. The pilot taxied the airplane to runway 31 where a runup was completed. "The takeoff and lift off looked normal," and the "engine sounded normal." The next time the airplane was observed it was at 500 feet and had "nosed over to almost vertical" and was in a 90 degree bank to the left. Prior to the airplane descending out of view it "looked like the pilot was trying to get the nose up and wings level." PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot was observed on previous flights making "abrupt maneuvers on takeoff." The pilot often made "knife edge turns and came back over the hangars at approximately 300 feet." AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The airplane's airframe and engine log books were not located. The operator reported that the log books were normally kept in the airplane, which was destroyed by a post impact fire. The person who performed the annual inspection on November 12, 1994, stated the airplane was in "excellent condition." He also stated he installed outer wing and fuselage fuel tanks on December 15, 1994. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The wreckage distribution pat
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE STALL SPEED, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S PERFORMANCE OF AN ABRUPT MANEUVER IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF.
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Browse: Texas · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
