19980430014319A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · Fort Collins, CO · April 30, 1998

Date: April 30, 1998 · 07:45 local
Place: Fort Collins, CO
Airport: Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Arp
Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N25525
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW98LA199
Reported as: Cessna 152
Reported engine: Lycoming O235L2C
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 20 total20 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N25525Registered now · Cessna 152S/N 15280716 · Built 1977 Airframe modelCessna 152 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Lost directional control on takeoff roll. Departed runway. Froze. Nosed over. (.4)during the takeoff roll on her first solo flight, the 20 hour (total flight time) student pilot applied left rudder when the aircraft started to drift left. The aircraft departed the left side of the 100 foot wide runway and entered soft terrain where it nosed over. The runway heading was 330 degrees magnetic, and the wind at the time was from 300 degrees magnetic heading at 5 knots. (-23)the student pilot, and sole occupant of a Cessna 152, was departing RW33 at fnl on her first solo flight. During the takeoff roll she lost control and departed the runway to the left and proceeded into the dirt. She stated that she froze and was unable to regain control. The iarcraft nosed over, flipped on its back and sustained substantial damage. The pilo was not injured. Weather conditions were VMC. The pilot and instructor were interviewed and no further action is deemed necessary.

As the FAA filed it

LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON TAKEOFF ROLL. DEPARTED RUNWAY. FROZE. NOSED OVER. (.4)DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON HER FIRST SOLO FLIGHT, THE 20 HOUR (TOTAL FLIGHT TIME) STUDENT PILOT APPLIED LEFT RUDDER WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DRIFT LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE 100 FOOT WIDE RUNWAY AND ENTERED SOFT TERRAIN WHERE IT NOSED OVER. THE RUNWAY HEADING WAS 330 DEGREES MAGNETIC, AND THE WIND AT THE TIME WAS FROM 300 DEGREES MAGNETIC HEADING AT 5 KNOTS. (-23)THE STUDENT PILOT, AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF A CESSNA 152, WAS DEPARTING RW33 AT FNL ON HER FIRST SOLO FLIGHT. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL SHE LOST CONTROL AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT AND PROCEEDED INTO THE DIRT. SHE STATED THAT SHE FROZE AND WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE IARCRAFT NOSED OVER, FLIPPED ON ITS BACK AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILO WAS NOT INJURED. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VMC. THE PILOT AND INSTRUCTOR WERE INTERVIEWED AND NO FURTHER ACTION IS DEEMED NECESSARY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA199Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFort Collins, COthe student pilot's improper use of the rudder controls, which resulted in loss of directional control, a ground swerve, an encounter with soft terrain, and a nose over. The soft terrain was a related factor.Apr 30, 1998 · Substantial damage