20170618013379I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Cessna 172K · Cube Cove, AK · June 18, 2017

Date: June 18, 2017 · 13:50 local
Place: Cube Cove, AK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N79874
Reported as: Cessna 172K
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 900 total400 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N79874Registered now · Cessna 172KS/N 17258209 · Built 1969 Airframe modelCessna 172K Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

The pilot stated that, during his take off roll, he became distracted momentarily. The aircraft's left wing tip impacted a small tree. The pilot aborted the take off, lost control and went into a ditch. The pilot received no injuries, however, the aircraft had a bent propeller, as well as damage to the left wing leading edge and wing tip lens. A contributing factor is that the runway width is approximately 25 feet, composed of compact gravel. Wind and weather were not a factor. NTSB determined the damage was minimal.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED THAT, DURING HIS TAKE OFF ROLL, HE BECAME DISTRACTED MOMENTARILY. THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING TIP IMPACTED A SMALL TREE. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKE OFF, LOST CONTROL AND WENT INTO A DITCH. THE PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURIES, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT HAD A BENT PROPELLER, AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE AND WING TIP LENS. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THAT THE RUNWAY WIDTH IS APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET, COMPOSED OF COMPACT GRAVEL. WIND AND WEATHER WERE NOT A FACTOR. NTSB DETERMINED THE DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL.