What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Crashed on takeoff. (.4)according to flying club records, the purpose of the flight was to complete an initial aircraft check for the pilot in the Cessna 152. The check was part of new member in-processing. The pilot was re-joining the flying club after a 9 year absence. The pilot had performed 3 previous takeoffs and landings prior to the accident takeoff. One witness described all four takeoffs as 'high performance.' Several witnesses described the accident takeoff in written statements. When the airplane reached an altitude of approximately 100 to 150 feet, they stated the airplane pitched up to an 'extremely' nose high attitude. Four witnesses described the pitch angle as '...well over 45 degrees...', '...45 to 60 degrees...', '...60 to 70 degrees up...', and '...60 degrees at least...'. Two witnesses described the pitch angle of the airplane as if it flew, left to right, across a clock face. Each said the nose was up at the '...one o'clock position.' Two witnesses said the airplane was '...just hanging on the prop.' Each pilot was airline transport rated with a combined flight experience of approximately 8,000 hours. Examination of the airplane did not disclose evi dence of mechanical malfunction.
As the FAA filed it
CRASHED ON TAKEOFF. (.4)ACCORDING TO FLYING CLUB RECORDS, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO COMPLETE AN INITIAL AIRCRAFT CHECK FOR THE PILOT IN THE CESSNA 152. THE CHECK WAS PART OF NEW MEMBER IN-PROCESSING. THE PILOT WAS RE-JOINING THE FLYING CLUB AFTER A 9 YEAR ABSENCE. THE PILOT HAD PERFORMED 3 PREVIOUS TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT TAKEOFF. ONE WITNESS DESCRIBED ALL FOUR TAKEOFFS AS 'HIGH PERFORMANCE.' SEVERAL WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE ACCIDENT TAKEOFF IN WRITTEN STATEMENTS. WHEN THE AIRPLANE REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 100 TO 150 FEET, THEY STATED THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP TO AN 'EXTREMELY' NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. FOUR WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE PITCH ANGLE AS '...WELL OVER 45 DEGREES...', '...45 TO 60 DEGREES...', '...60 TO 70 DEGREES UP...', AND '...60 DEGREES AT LEAST...'. TWO WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE PITCH ANGLE OF THE AIRPLANE AS IF IT FLEW, LEFT TO RIGHT, ACROSS A CLOCK FACE. EACH SAID THE NOSE WAS UP AT THE '...ONE O'CLOCK POSITION.' TWO WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS '...JUST HANGING ON THE PROP.' EACH PILOT WAS AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED WITH A COMBINED FLIGHT EXPERIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 8,000 HOURS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVI DENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.