MIA97LA129

Factual narrative

On April 10, 1997, about 0918 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N4874D, registered to Galla Aviation, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed on landing at the Gwinnett County-Briscoe Field Airport, Lawrenceville, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Lawrenceville about 4 to 5 minutes before the accident. The pilot stated he was on his third solo flight, and he had just returned from the local training area to conduct touch-and-go landings. The tower advised him while on downwind that another airplane had encountered windshear earlier in the morning. He completed the touch-and-go without incident and remained in left closed traffic for another touch-and-go landing on runway 07. As he started his round out the airplane encountered gusty wind conditions. The airplane ballooned up and started to settle, when a second gust was encountered and the left wing was pitched downward. The airplane was blown off the left side of the runway while airborne. The student pilot attempted a go-around and was reaching for the flaps when he encountered a third gust. The airplane pitched down and the nosewheel collided with the ground. He lost directional control of the airplane, it veered further to the left, and nosed over inverted. The student pilot stated that the tower advised him on downwind that another pilot had encountered a wind shear on landing earlier that day. The student pilot completed a touch-and-go landing without incident. He remained in closed traffic for another touch-and-go landing. As he started his round out the airplane encountered gusty wind conditions. The airplane ballooned up and started to settle, when a second gust was encountered and the left wing was pitched downward. The airplane was blown off the left side of the runway while airborne. He attempted a go-around and was reaching for the flaps when he encountered a third gust. The airplane pitched down and the nosewheel collided with the ground. He lost directional control of the airplane, it veered further to the left, and nosed over inverted. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12