20030118035299A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172 · Portmouth, VA · January 18, 2003

Date: January 18, 2003 · 14:40 local
Place: Portmouth, VA
Airport: Hampton Roads Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6312E
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD03LA029
Reported as: Cessna 172
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 800 total

N6312ERegistration cancelled Apr 19, 2011 · Cessna 172S/N 46412 · Built 1959 Airframe modelCessna 172 Engine modelContinental 0-300 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) Pilot elected to depart pvg with approximately 3-5 inches of snow and ice on the aircraft. During this departure roll, some snow did blow off the aircraft; however, at the scene of the accident, approximately 2 inches of snow/ice still remained. The aircraft used more than the usual runway required for a Cessna 172 to lift-off, climbed slowly to about 100-200 feet AGL before turning back to the airport for landing. Pilot reported that at 200 feet AGL the stall warning horn soundes so she tried to return to the airport. Because of the need to maintain airspeed, the aircraft could not maintain altitude and the pilot elected to land in a field near the airport instead of trying to clear some trees between the aircraft and the airport.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT ELECTED TO DEPART PVG WITH APPROXIMATELY 3-5 INCHES OF SNOW AND ICE ON THE AIRCRAFT. DURING THIS DEPARTURE ROLL, SOME SNOW DID BLOW OFF THE AIRCRAFT; HOWEVER, AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT, APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES OF SNOW/ICE STILL REMAINED. THE AIRCRAFT USED MORE THAN THE USUAL RUNWAY REQUIRED FOR A CESSNA 172 TO LIFT-OFF, CLIMBED SLOWLY TO ABOUT 100-200 FEET AGL BEFORE TURNING BACK TO THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING. PILOT REPORTED THAT AT 200 FEET AGL THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDES SO SHE TRIED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD NEAR THE AIRPORT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO CLEAR SOME TREES BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRPORT.

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 IAD03LA029Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportChesapeake, VAThe pilot's failure to adequately remove snow and ice from the airplane's wings prior to takeoff.Jan 18, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6312E · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19941230043489IStarting Engines · Portmouth, VAHand propped engine started with tiedown on tail, eye bolt on chain split. Hit pilot and a parked aircraft.Dec 30, 1994 · Minor damage