History of Flight
On July 13, 2019, at about 1030 central daylight time, a Cessna 172S airplane, registration N517LA, was destroyed during an accident near Katy, Texas. The private pilot, who had rented the airplane for a local personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, sustained fatal injuries.
According to automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, the airplane departed runway 33 at West Houston Airport (IWS) in Houston, Texas, at about 1026 and turned left to the southwest. It continued over Interstate 10, south of the Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital, then westward before disappearing from radar near South Fry Road. During the final 1.5 minutes of flight, airspeed increased from 104 knots to 151 knots, and altitude descended from 1,050 feet to about 300 feet.
The airplane struck a tree, then a parking lot, and finally a building at the Mason Creek Community Center. No injuries occurred on the ground.
A witness playing tennis at the community courts observed the airplane flying very low and banking right. The witness thought the pilot intended to land in an open field but instead the airplane "slipped up" and impacted the parking lot and building, followed by an explosion and fire. The engine sounded "totally revved with a high pitch" with no abnormal sounds.
Aircraft Information
Earlier that morning, a flight instructor had flown the accident airplane for 1.6 hours in the IWS traffic pattern, reporting no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine. A review of maintenance records showed no uncorrected mechanical discrepancies.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was located 112 feet above mean sea level and about 4 miles southwest of IWS. Initial impact was with a 60-foot-tall pine tree, which showed damage to several branches. Northwest of the tree, ground scars consistent with propeller blade rotation were found in a parking lot. The airplane fragmented upon hitting a small wood and concrete block building and was consumed by post-crash fire.
Flight control continuity was established. All structural components were present at the site. Examination revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Whether the Garmin GFC 700 digital autopilot was in use could not be determined.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences attributed the pilot's cause of death to multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for ethanol. Losartan was detected in muscle and liver tissue; tests for carbon monoxide and cyanide were not performed.
Organizational and Management Information
West Houston Airport is a privately owned, public use airport hosting a Part 61 flight school that operates Cessna 172S and Cessna R-182RG airplanes.