Cessna R172E N1438Z

Summary

On 27 March 1995 at about 15:00 local time, a Cessna R172E registered N1438Z was involved in an accident near Gladewater, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 March 1995 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Gladewater, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.5400, -94.9409

Aircraft

Cessna R172E

Registration

N1438Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Corpus Christi

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95FA147

1 person died.

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.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AT 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IN A 90 DEGREE LEFT BANK, 'NOSED OVER TO ALMOST VERTICAL.' PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING OUT OF VIEW IT 'LOOKED LIKE THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO GET THE NOSE UP AND WINGS LEVEL.' ACCORDING TO A FAA INSPECTOR, SEVERAL SOURCES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT DEMONSTRATED A PAST HISTORY OF ABRUPT MANEUVERS AT LOW ALTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY STRUCTURAL OR MECHANICAL ANOMALIES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.