FTW03LA177

Factual narrative

On June 25, 2003, approximately 1355 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M single-engine airplane, N20679, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground east of runway 17 following a loss of control while landing at Jones Memorial Airport (3F7), near Bristow, Oklahoma. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Landed Gentry Development, Inc., of Burlington, Washington, and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed Branson, Missouri, approximately 1200, with a planned destination to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The 1,111-hour pilot occupied the right seat, and the 243-hour pilot-rated passenger occupied the left seat. While en route, the pilot decided to permit the pilot-rated passenger to practice touch-and-go landings on runway 17 (3,400 feet long and 45 feet wide) at the Jones Memorial Airport. According to the pilot, during the first landing, the pilot-rated passenger flared high and the airplane bounced twice. On the second bounce, as the airplane veered across the runway, the pilot announced that he was taking over the controls of the airplane to initiate a go-around. When initiating the go-around procedure, the pilot turned the airplane left, applied full power, and lifted the flap selector lever intending to take out 10 degrees of flaps of the 40 degrees that were set for landing. The airplane drifted left of the runway and descended until the right wing tip struck the ground. The pilot then made a correction to the left, but the airplane stalled and pivoted nearly 180 degrees before coming to rest approximately 100 yards east of the runway. With a temperature at 34 degrees Celsius, field elevation of 851 feet, and an altimeter setting of 29.95 inches of mercury, the investigator-in-charge calculated the density altitude to be 3,278 feet at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that the wind was from 120 degrees at 7-10 knots. On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot stated that it appeared that he inadvertently took out more that 10 degrees, "of course, increasing the stall speed." Upon exiting the airplane, both pilots noticed a fire under the engine, but were able to clear the wreckage before the airplane caught fire. Examination of the wreckage by the aircraft manufacturer revealed, from the position of the flap-actuator, that the flaps were in the retracted position. While en route to Oklahoma City, the pilot decided to permit a pilot-rated passenger to practice touch-and go landings at Jones Memorial Airport, Oklahoma. The pilot-rated passenger, who was manipulating the controls and occupying the left seat, flared high and the airplane bounced twice. On the second bounce, the airplane veered across the runway. The pilot, who was in the right seat, announced that he was taking over the controls of the airplane to initiate a go-round. During the go-around, the pilot turned the airplane left, applied full power, and lifted the flap lever intending to take out 10 degrees of the 40 degrees that was set for landing. However, the pilot inadvertently took out more than 10 degrees. The airplane drifted left of the runway and descended until the right wing tip struck the ground. The pilot made a correction to the left, but the airplane stalled and pivoted nearly 180 degrees before coming to rest approximately 100 yards east of the runway. The pilot reported the wind to be from 120 degrees at 7-10 knots, and the investigator calculated the density altitude to be 3,278 feet at the time of the accident. Examination of the wreckage indicated from the position of the flap-actuator that the flaps were in the retracted position. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12