20100305028969A

THIS IS A STATEMENT REGARDING AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING A STUDENT PILOT FLYING A CESSNA 172R WHICH OCCURRED AT THE NEWARK HEATH AIRPORT (KVTA) AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 LOCAL TIME. AT APPROXIMATELY 1520 EDT THIS OFFICE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT AN AIRCRAFT HAD GONE OFF THE RUNWAY AT THE NEWARK HEATH AIRPORT (KVTA). MY SUPERVISOR REQUESTED I GO TO THE SITE AND GATHER INFORMATION. I ARRIVED ON SITE AT 1600 EDT. ON ARRIVAL I MET THE STUDENT PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INDICATED HE WAS PRACTICING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF AND DRIFTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY IMPACTING A SNOW BANK. I CONTINUED TO THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND IT LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTH EDGE OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY (27) IN AN INVERTED POSITION. I WAS MET BY AN OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL, TROOPER MIKE WILSON WHO WAS JUST COMPLETING HIS INITIAL INVESTIGATION. I REQUESTED A COPY OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORT AND PHOTO'S WHEN HE COMPLETED THEM. I THEN TOOK PHOTOS OF THE AIRCRAFT. KVTA IS A SINGLE HARD SURFACED RUNWAY 9/27 AND IS 4649' X 75'. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE RUNWAY WAS BARE AND DRY WITH 2' TO 3' SNOW BANKS ALONG THE RUNWAY EDGES. THE WEATHER, REPORTED BY THE ON-FIELD ASOS, WAS REPORTING WINDS FROM THE NORTH 3-5 KNOTS. 10 MILE VISIBILITY, CLEAR, TEMP +04 C, DEW POINT -06 C ALTIMETER 30.26. WHILE DEPARTING RUNWAY 27 THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST BECOME AIRBORNE WHEN THE NOSE OR LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COME IN CONTACT WITH THE LEFT SNOW BANK. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE SNOW BANK AND IMPACTING THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ANGLE WITH THE NOSE LANDING GEAR, CAUSING FAILURE OF THE NOSE GEAR WITH THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY BEING TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PROPELLER AND NOSE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER, NOSE TO TAIL, COMING TO REST INVERTED. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AT A 10 DEGREE ANGLE APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE IMPACT WAS AT LOW ANGLE, LOW SPEED APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 75 FEET FURTHER AND COMING TO REST INVERTED, APPROXIMATELY 760 FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE LEFT ENTRY DOOR. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR CUTS TO BOTH HANDS AND A MINOR SCRAPE TO THE FOREHEAD WHICH HE BELIEVED OCCURRED WHILE DETACHING THE SEAT BELT ALONG WITH EXITING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT ALONG WITH THE ATTACHED SHOULDER STRAP. THE AIRCRAFT DESTROYED WITH NO POST IMPACT FIRE. THE STUDENT PILOT HAS APPROXIMATELY 60 HOURS TOTAL TIME, ALL IN THE CESSNA 172 AND WAS PRACTICING IN PREPARATION FOR THE PRIVATE PILOT PRACTICAL EXAMINATION. THERE WERE NO EYE WITNESS ACCOUNTS OF THE ACCIDENT. THE OHIO STATE PATROL CONDUCTED A SEPARATE INVESTIGATION PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL ON SCENE, I HAVE REQUESTED A COPY OF HIS REPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE SITE AND RELOCATED TO A HANGAR LOCATED AT THE AIRPORT. FOLLOWING AN ON SITE INTERVIEW WITH THE STUDENT PILOT AN INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED WITH THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS NOT PRESENT AN THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE INSTRUCTOR NOTED THE STUDENT WAS IN THE FINAL PRACTICE STAGES IN PREPARATION FOR THE PRIVATE PILOT PRACTICAL EXAM. THE STUDENT PROGRESSED NORMALLY THROUGH ALL TRAINING PHASES WITH NO UNUSUAL DIFFICULTIES.