History of Flight
On March 8, 2008, at approximately 1715 central standard time, a Cessna 172M, registration N13246, was destroyed after colliding with terrain in Gun Barrel City, Texas. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the single passenger suffered serious injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual. The local flight had departed from Athens Municipal Airport (F44), Athens, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
An eyewitness, an acquaintance of the pilot and passenger, was at the Lakeview Elementary School park area when he observed the airplane approaching from the east heading west. He reported hearing a rapid reduction in engine power as the airplane passed abeam of the school. The airplane then executed a left turn at an estimated 45-degree bank angle, aligning to approach from the south heading north. As it neared transmission lines, the airplane made a right turn. The right wing tip contacted the lines, causing the airplane to nose over and collide with the ground. The airplane tumbled, broke apart, and came to rest inverted. The witness ran to provide assistance and called emergency services.
During a telephone interview with the NTSB, the passenger stated that after departing from F44, the pilot spotted a friend at the park area and announced his intention to "buzz" them. The passenger noted that the engine sounded normal and the pilot appeared to have no difficulty controlling the airplane. As they approached the park, the passenger saw the transmission lines and felt the nose gear contact the lines, which resulted in the airplane nosing over and impacting the terrain.
Injuries
The passenger remained in his seat throughout the accident and freed himself with assistance from the eyewitness before emergency responders arrived. He sustained a serious leg injury.
Personnel Information
The 42-year-old pilot had his pilot license revoked by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in December 2005. Prior to revocation, he held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument ratings, as well as a private helicopter certificate. He was eligible to reapply for a license in December 2006, but no record of an application was found. No record of a valid medical certificate was discovered; the last known first-class medical certificate was issued August 10, 2000 and had expired. On that medical application, the pilot reported accumulating 1,610 flight hours, with 175 hours logged in the preceding six months.
A logbook used to track airplane usage indicated that from April 26, 2007, the pilot had flown the accident airplane 14 times, totaling 14.1 hours. No entries for hours in the accident airplane were made in the previous 60 days, and only one entry of 1.9 hours existed for the past 90 days. The airplane owner had an agreement allowing the pilot to borrow the airplane on a non-interference basis, paying via Hobbs meter hours. It is unknown if the pilot had access to another airplane.
Aircraft Information
The 1974 Cessna 172M featured dual flight controls, fixed landing gear, and seating for four. It was powered by a single 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320-E2D engine driving a fixed-pitch, two-bladed McCauley propeller. The last annual inspection was completed on September 20, 2007, with an airframe time of 5,420.6 hours. The Hobbs meter was destroyed, but the usage log recorded a Hobbs meter time of 3,722.6 hours on the accident date.
Meteorological Information
At 1753 central standard time, an automated weather reporting facility at C David Campbell Field–Corsicana Municipal Airport (CRS), approximately 23 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, reported wind from 110 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 52°F, dew point 25°F, and barometric pressure of 30.07 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in a grass field near the elementary school. The debris path generally followed a 050-degree magnetic heading. A strand of transmission wire was pulled from suspension poles approximately 200 feet toward the ground impact point. White paint, consistent with the airplane's paint, was deposited on several strands. The initial ground impact point comprised a 43-foot-long, 8-inch-wide, 2-inch-deep ground scar containing the right wing tip and electrical portions of the right wing strobe light. Three propeller strike marks, each about 2 feet apart, followed the scar; two showed arcs consistent with normal travel, and the last showed an arc consistent with an inverted airplane. A subsequent ground scar 26 feet long and 5.5 feet wide contained plexiglass and an antenna from the top of the fuselage embedded in dirt. Wreckage was scattered over a 200-foot debris path, with the fuselage coming to rest inverted, nose aligned with a magnetic heading of 250 degrees.
The engine and instrument panel were partially separated from the fuselage. The cabin was breached forward of the main wings. The left wing exhibited accordion crushing damage along the entire leading edge; its strut remained attached to the fuselage. The right wing separated about 4 feet from the wing root; its strut separated from the fuselage but remained attached, and the wing was folded underneath the wreckage. The empennage was twisted counter-clockwise approximately 30 degrees. Fluid consistent with 100LL aviation fuel was found in both fuel tanks.
Medical and Pathological Information
Forensic toxicology performed by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory on pilot specimens revealed tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid in blood (0.0027 µg/ml) and urine (0.0027 µg/ml), and an unquantified level of naproxen in urine. An autopsy conducted by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, Dallas, Texas, ruled the manner of death as blunt force injuries.
Tests and Research
A field examination of the engine by representatives from the NTSB, FAA, and Lycoming Engines found no malfunctions that would have precluded normal power production. Examination of the airframe by representatives from the NTSB, FAA, and Cessna Aircraft established flight control cable continuity for elevator, elevator trim, ailerons, rudder, and flaps, which were found in the retracted position. The firewall fuel strainer and carburetor inlet screen were clear of foreign objects.