Cessna 172 N902RA

Summary

On 31 March 2019 at about 15:15 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N902RA, operated by Rich Aviation Services Llc, was involved in an accident near Stephenville, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 March 2019 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Stephenville, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Stephenville Clark Rgnl (SEP)

Coordinates

32.2153, -98.1778

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N902RA

Category

Airplane

Year built

1971

Engines

1

Operator

Rich Aviation Services Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Weatherford → Weatherford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA192

1 person had minor injuries.

The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control in gusting crosswind conditions that exceeded the airplane’s demonstrated crosswind for landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose-over.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane was configured with flaps 30° and that the airspeed was 70 knots. When the airplane was over the runway, he reduced the throttle to idle and initiated the landing flare. The airplane descended rapidly, landed hard, and bounced. He aborted the landing, "but the wind caught me and the next thing I knew, I was facing the taxiway." The airplane exited the left side of the runway into grass and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The METAR at the airport reported that, at the time of the accident, the wind was from 050° at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 32. According to the manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook, the maximum demonstrated crosswind is 15 knots. The crosswind component for the accident flight was 16 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.