# Accident 20000207000709A: Cessna 172N, Bermuda Dunes, CA, February 7, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 7, 2000, 11:30 local time - Place: Bermuda Dunes, CA - Airport: Bermuda Dunes Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.7107° N, 116.2305° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7107&lon=-116.2305&mi=10 - Aircraft: N739GQ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N739GQ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Student - Pilot flight hours: 30 total, 30 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA096) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000207000709A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON FEBRUARY 7, 2000, AT 1130 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172N, N739GQ, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF PORTION OF A TOUCH-AND-GO, AND IMPACTED TREES AT THE BERMUDA DUNES, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED BY BERMUDA DUNES AIR SERVICES AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE STUDENT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE AT THE SAME AIRPORT. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN PRACTICING TOUGH-AND-GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. HE STATED THAT THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED WITH THE FIRST TWO TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. ON THE THIRD TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING HE NOTED THAT HE WAS A LITTLE OFF CENTERLINE. ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE FORGOT THAT HE WAS IN AN AIRPLANE AND TURNED THE YOKE TO THE LEFT, BUT DID NOT USE LEFT RUDDER INPUT. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO VEER TO THE RIG HT AND THE RIGHT WING TIP IMPACTED A TREE LINE. THE PILOT REPORTED NO DISCREPENACIES WITH THE AIRPLANE OR THE ENGINE. (-23) ON 2/7/2000, CESSNA 172N, N739GQ, WAS INVOLVED IN A SERIES OF TAKE OFF AND LANDINGS AT BERMUDA DUNES (UDD) AIRPORT. ON THE THIRD LANDING, DURING LANDING ROLL OUT, THE STUDENT PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE A/C WHICH VEERED OFF THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE RUNWAY WHERE THE RIGHT WING TIP CAUGHT SOME LARGE BUSHES WHICH SPUN THE A/C AROUND. THE FORCE OF THIS SPIN CAUSED THE LEFT WING TIP TO IMPACT THE GROUND PRIOR TO THE A/C COMING TO A STOP. THIS IMPACT BUCKLED THE LEFT WING UPWARD AT APPROX. THREE FEET OUTBOARD OF THE FUSELAGE CAUSING SUBSTANTIOAL DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT, WHEN HE TOUCHED DOWN ON HIS THIRD LANDING, THE A/C WAS TO THE RIGHT OF CENTERLINE AND WAS VEERING FURTHER TO THE RIGHT DURING LANDING ROLL OUT. HE SAID THAT HE BASICALLY JUST TRIED TO STEER THE A/C LIKE HE WAS DRIVING A CAR BY USING THE CONTROL WHEEL INSTEAD OF THE RUDDER PETALS AND TURNING IT TO THE LEFT TO TRY TO MOVE THE A/C BACK TOWARDS THE CENTERLINE. HE SAID THAT HE EVEN MOMENTARILY APPLIED ENGINE POWER WHILE TURNING THE CONTROL WHEEL. HE STATED THAT IN THE SECONDS IT TOOK FOR HIM TO REALIZE THE MISTAKE HE MADE, THE AIRCRAFT HAD ALREADY IMPACTED THE BUSHES, SPUN AROUND AND CAME TO A STOP, WHEN HE THEN SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. HE STATED THAT HE HAD TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE COPILOTS DOOR BECAUSE THE PILOTS DOOR WAS JAMMED SHUT DUE THE LEFT WING IMPACTING THE GROUND DURING THE SPIN. THE STUDENT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. (.4)ON FEBRUARY 7, 2000, AT 1130 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172N, N739GQ, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF PORTION OF A TOUCH-AND-GO, AND IMPACTED TREES AT THE BERMUDA DUNES, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED BY BERMUDA DUNES AIR SERVICES AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE STUDENT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR THE SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED AT 1100, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE AT THE SAME AIRPORT. IN THE STUDENT PILOT'S WRITTEN REPORT TO THE SAFETY BOARD HE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE FIRST TWO TOUCH-AND-GO'S. ON THE THIRD TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING, H E RAISED THE FLAPS, APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, AND ENGAGED THE CARBURETOR HEAT. HE NOTED THAT HE WAS RIGHT OF CENTERLINE AND TRIED TO STEER THE AIRPLANE BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE LIMB, TURNED THE AIRPLANE 90 DEGREES, THE LEFT WING STUCK THE GROUND, AND CAME TO A STOP. THE PILOT FURTHER INDICATED THAT HE HAS A TOTAL TIME OF 30 HOURS IN ALL AIRCRAFT, AND THAT THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES WITH THE AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT HE ATTEMPTED TO STEER THE AIRPLANE LIKE HE WAS DRIVING A CAR BY USING THE CONTROL WHEEL INSTEAD OF THE RUDDER PEDALS. WHEN HE REALIZED HIS MISTAKE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO CORRECT IT BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE HAD ALREADY IMPACTED BUSHES, SPUN AROUND, AND HAD COME TO A STOP. HE SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND EXITED ON THE RIGHT SIDE BECAUSE THE LEFT SIDE DOOR HAD BEEN JAMMED SHUT WHEN THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE GROUND. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX00LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA096), Feb 7, 2000: Cessna 172N (N739GQ), Bermuda Dunes, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.