Event FTW97LA163

Factual narrative

On April 21, 1997, at 1321 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P airplane, N54153, was substantially damaged following a loss of control during landing roll at McKinney Municipal Airport, near McKinney, Texas. The student pilot, sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was owned by private individuals and operated by Addison Air Training under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional solo flight which originated from Addison, Texas, approximately 1 hour and 6 minutes before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. According to the instructor pilot, the student pilot was attempting his second landing to the south at McKinney Municipal Airport during his first supervised solo flight. The first landing was normal and uneventful. On the second landing the "student porpoised the airplane [and] recovered. After recovering, the student slammed on the brakes and ran off the runway. The aircraft proceeded into a muddy ditch, at which time the nose wheel dug into the mud, broke off from the aircraft and the aircraft flipped over on its back." Examination of the aircraft by a FAA inspector revealed that the nose gear was folded aft and both propeller blades were bent. Both wing tips were bent downward outboard of the flaps and the vertical fin and rudder were also damaged. According to the instructor pilot, the student pilot was attempting his second landing during his first supervised solo flight. The first landing was normal and uneventful. However, on the second landing, the 'student porpoised the airplane [and] recovered. After recovering, the student slammed on the brakes and ran off the runway. The aircraft proceeded into a muddy ditch, at which time the nose wheel dug into the mud, broke off from the aircraft and the aircraft flipped over on its back.' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12