Pilot Debrief

Cessna 172 near Katy, TX — 2019-07-13

Final reportCEN19FA221
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Date
2019-07-13
Location
Katy, TX, USA
Aircraft
Cessna 172
Registration
N517LA
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of airplane control and subsequent impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on a local personal flight in day visual meteorological conditions. According to flight track data, after departure from the airport to the north, the airplane made a left turn to the southwest. The airplane continued to travel southwest over a major highway and then continued to the west. Over the final 1.5 minutes of the approximate 3-minute flight, the airplane's speed increased from about 104 kts to about 151 kts and the altitude descended from 1,050 ft to about 300 ft at the last data point. The airplane impacted a tree, parking lot, and building and the airplane was destroyed from fragmentation upon impact with terrain and the postimpact fire. A witness near the accident site thought that the airplane was going to land in an open field nearby. He stated that the airplane was "very low" and it "banked to the right" before impact. The witness reported that the engine sounded "totally revved with a high pitch" and the engine did not produce any abnormal sounds. Postaccident examination revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Autopsy and toxicological testing of the pilot revealed no evidence of physiological impairment or incapacitation. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with an inflight loss of control; however, the reason for the loss of control could not be determined based on the available information.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the flight after noticing low altitude and high speed.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 12 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents12

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