Cessna 172K accident near Grand Saline, TX
On December 21, 2003, a Cessna 172K (airplane) was involved in an accident near Grand Saline, TX. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- December 21, 2003
- Place
- Grand Saline, TX
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 32.543°N, 95.709°W
- NTSB ID
- 20031231X02106
Official records · FTW04FA045
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 21, 2003, approximately 1330 central standard time, a Cessna 172K single-engine airplane, N78189, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees, then terrain, while on final approach to runway 22 at Brady Field (5XS5), near Grand Saline, Texas. The private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight that departed Jackson International Airport (JAN), near Jackson, Mississippi, about 0930. The pilot received an abbreviated weather briefing from Greenwood Flight Service Station at 0845. A witness, who lived at the private airport, was standing outside of her home when she first heard the airplane approach runway 22, a 2,000-foot-long and 50-foot-wide turf runway. She reported the sound of the engine was similar to when an airplane would cross over the runway threshold during landing. When she looked up, she noticed that the airplane was "way, way, low", and to the right of the runway centerline. The witness observed the airplane descend in a nose down angle into trees, followed by the sound of an impact. In addition, the witness stated that strong crosswinds prevailed at the time of the accident. Prior to the accident, she commented to her husband that she had hoped that the pilot, for whom they were expecting, would not attempt to land and divert to another airport. The pilot was based at Brady Field. PERSONNEL
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while on final approach. Factors were the high winds and prevailing crosswind.
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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.
