# Accident 20160326002399A: Cessna 172N, Charleston, WV, March 26, 2016 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 26, 2016, 12:08 local time - Place: Charleston, WV - Airport: Yeager - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 38.3758° N, 81.5931° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3758&lon=-81.5931&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6238D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6238D-2016-05-23) (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: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 1,906 total, 1,800 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA16FA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA141) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160326002399A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE CFI PERFORMED AN EXPEDITED TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 05 MANIPULATING THE AIRPLANE CONTROLS FROM THE RIGHT SEAT. AFTER AN APPROXIMATE 600 FOOT TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRPLANE ROTATED AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT ROLL TO AN INVERTED ATTITUDE BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET LEFT OF THE TAKEOFF RUNWAY. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRPLANES HEIGHT ABOVE GROUND NEVER EXCEEDED 50 FEET PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND NOSE FIRST CAUSING THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE TO PARTIALLY ENTER THE COCKPIT. THE CFI WAS FATALLY INJURED WHILE THE STUDENT PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. DURING THE ONSITE INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER PRIOR TO IMPACT BASED ON SUBSTANTIAL CHORD WISE DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER. A SUBSEQUENT ONSITE ENGINE EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY DISCREPANCIES WITH THE ENGINE THAT WOULD INDICATE IT WAS NOT RUNNING PRIOR TO IMPACT. ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE FOUND STILL ATTACHED TO THE AIRPLANE AND CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO THE COCKPIT. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME REVEALED: AFT BENDING OF THE LEFT SEAT ADJUSTMENT PINS AND CORRESPONDING DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SEAT ADJUSTMENT RAILS. THE RIGHT SEAT INBOARD ADJUSTMENT PIN WAS FOUND BROKEN AT THE ROLL PIN HOLE WITH LITTLE OTHER DAMAGE. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE AREA SURROUNDING THE ROLL PIN HOLE WAS CORRODED POSSIBLY CAUSING THE MATERIAL TO BE WEAK IN THE FRACTURED AREA OF THE PIN. THE TWO PIECES OF THE PIN WERE RETAINED BY THE NTSB FOR FUTURE LABORATORY EXAMINATION. THE RIGHT SEAT OUTBOARD ADJUSTMENT PIN WAS FOUND WITH LITTLE OR NO DAMAGE. IN ADDITION, THE RIGHT SEAT ADJUSTMENT RAILS SHOWED LITTLE OR NO DAMAGE, INDICATIVE OF THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT PINS NOT BEING ENGAGED OR COMPLETELY ENGAGED PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE RIGHT SEAT ADJUSTMENT SPRING WAS FOUND DISCONNECTED FROM THE SEAT LEG ASSEMBLY WHILE REMAINING CONNECTED TO THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT HANDLE ASSEMBLY. NO DAMAGE TO THE SPRING WAS NOTED. THE SPRING'S PURPOSE IS TO RETURN THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT HANDLE AND ADJUSTMENT PINS TO THE DOWN POSITION AFTER ADJUSTMENT OF THE SEAT POSITION. IT COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED IF THE SPRING WAS DISCONNECTED PRIOR TO IMPACT, DISCONNECTED DURING THE ACCIDENT OR DISCONNECTED DURING THE RESCUE OF THE AIRPLANES OCCUPANTS. ## 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 ERA16FA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA141), Mar 26, 2016: Cessna 172N (N6238D), Charleston, WV, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The flight instructor's failure to ensure that her seat was properly secured before initiating the takeoff, which resulted in a subsequent loss of control. Contributing was the lack of an installed… ## Other reports on N6238D (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20080621842479I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080621842479I), Jun 21, 2008: Cessna 172N (N6238D), Charleston, WV, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot onfirst solo flight stated that he had made several successful touch and go approaches. Pilot stated that on the last approach to runway 33… 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.