The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Irving, Texas
Location: Burleson, Texas
Huffman Aviation LLC
Accident Number: CEN22LA125
Date and Time: February 9, 2022, 11:30 Local
Registration: N11373
Aircraft: Cessna 150L
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N11373
Model/Series: 150L
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGKY,630 ft msl
Observation Time: 10:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 14 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 16°C /-3°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 340°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.17 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point:
Destination:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 32.5421,-97.3208 (est)
This accident was so unnecessary. The pilot was a recently soloed student who - according to an instructor at Huffman - pulled the mixture control to idle cutoff while on downwind when he thought he was applying carburetor heat. He was on downwind to a 6000' runway at a controlled airport in day, VMC conditions. Rather than push the mixture back in and rather than simply land, engine out, on that gorgeous runway, the student panicked and was asking the tower for help (you can hear this on ATC Live). The airplane ended up nose down and nearly inverted in the trees outside the airport - thank goodness the student was uninjured and no one on the ground was hurt.
ReplyDeleteInstructors: It is your job to make sure a student can handle themselves appropriately during day, VFR operations - including an engine failure (operator induced or otherwise) in the traffic pattern on a nice day.
Students and Pilots: Job 1 is FLY THE AIRPLANE. When the engine quits - FLY THE AIRPLANE. ATC can, and often is, a fine outside resource, but they are not the Help Desk during a low altitude engine failure. FLY THE AIRPLANE.