What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 7, 2005 at approximately 1637 local time (PDT), a Cessna CE-172-RG, N4970V, standard certification experienced a forced landing after take off on runway 21 at Grand Canyon National airport AZ (gcn) with 3 persons on board. The private pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries, and the aircraft substantial damage. Pilot's statement confirmed engine seemed to be performing normally. The pilot reported nose wheel lifted off runway @ 55 KIAS and aircraft was airborne at around 60 KIAS. Aircraft accelerated slowy through 65 KIAS @ roc established. At about 20-30 ft. AGL pilot raised the gear to reduce drag and improve better roc. Aircraft started to descend and would not climb, pilot lowered landing gear for abort but judged insufficient runway for landing and continued flying altering his course to the left in order to prevent impact with trees, until pilot knew aircraft would not make it over the ridge and saw airspeed around 55 KIAS just prior to impacting ground 1/2 mile south of runway. Prior to takeoff, flaps were retracted and the mixture control was in the full forward (rich) position. Fueling records at the Grand Canyon National airport indicated that the aircraft was topped off with 30.1 gallons of fuel prior to departure for palomar airport, carlsbad, California. Personnel at Grand Canyon airport stated the baggage that was left onboard was weighed at 47.10 lbs. Weight and balance calculations indicate the weight was at or over the maximum and not as stated in pilot's report provided to the FSDO. Weather was not a factor as visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 7, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 1637 LOCAL TIME (PDT), A CESSNA CE-172-RG, N4970V, STANDARD CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCED A FORCED LANDING AFTER TAKE OFF ON RUNWAY 21 AT GRAND CANYON NATIONAL AIRPORT AZ (GCN) WITH 3 PERSONS ON BOARD. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT'S STATEMENT CONFIRMED ENGINE SEEMED TO BE PERFORMING NORMALLY. THE PILOT REPORTED NOSE WHEEL LIFTED OFF RUNWAY @ 55 KIAS AND AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE AT AROUND 60 KIAS. AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED SLOWY THROUGH 65 KIAS @ ROC ESTABLISHED. AT ABOUT 20-30 FT. AGL PILOT RAISED THE GEAR TO REDUCE DRAG AND IMPROVE BETTER ROC. AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DESCEND AND WOULD NOT CLIMB, PILOT LOWERED LANDING GEAR FOR ABORT BUT JUDGED INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY FOR LANDING AND CONTINUED FLYING ALTERING HIS COURSE TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO PREVENT IMPACT WITH TREES, UNTIL PILOT KNEW AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT MAKE IT OVER THE RIDGE AND SAW AIRSPEED AROUND 55 KIAS JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING GROUND 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF RUNWAY. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS IN THE FULL FORWARD (RICH) POSITION. FUELING RECORDS AT THE GRAND CANYON NATIONAL AIRPORT INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOPPED OFF WITH 30.1 GALLONS OF FUEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR PALOMAR AIRPORT, CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA. PERSONNEL AT GRAND CANYON AIRPORT STATED THE BAGGAGE THAT WAS LEFT ONBOARD WAS WEIGHED AT 47.10 LBS. WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS INDICATE THE WEIGHT WAS AT OR OVER THE MAXIMUM AND NOT AS STATED IN PILOT'S REPORT PROVIDED TO THE FSDO. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR AS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.