20090202000659A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · Ellensburg, WA · February 2, 2009

Date: February 2, 2009 · 09:45 local
Place: Ellensburg, WA
Airport: Bowers Field
Phase of flight: Takeoff
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: GGUS
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N95606
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09CA107
Reported as: Cessna 152
Reported engine: Lycoming O235*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 32 total32 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N95606Registered now · Cessna 152S/N 15285936 · Built 1984 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.

The student pilot was executing his fourth solo takeoff while being supervised by his instructor privacy data omitted. Upon power application the aircraft started a left turn that took the aircraft off the left side of the runway. The student reduced power and pulled the mixture to turn the engine off. The aircraft hit a ditch that caused the aircraft nose wheel to collapse.

As the FAA filed it

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS EXECUTING HIS FOURTH SOLO TAKEOFF WHILE BEING SUPERVISED BY HIS INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. UPON POWER APPLICATION THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A LEFT TURN THAT TOOK THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT REDUCED POWER AND PULLED THE MIXTURE TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH THAT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT NOSE WHEEL TO COLLAPSE.

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 WPR09CA107Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportEllensburg, WAThe student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's decision to initiate the takeoff with the airplane positioned near the left edge of the runway.Feb 2, 2009 · Substantial damage