20180816014299A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna R172E · Colorado Spring, CO · August 16, 2018

Date: August 16, 2018 · 11:15 local
Place: Colorado Spring, CO
Airport: Usaf Academy Afld
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N146AC
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN18LA335
Reported as: Cessna R172E
Reported engine: Continental Motor IO-360
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 17,631 total20 in this make and model68 in the last 90 days

N146ACRegistered now · Cessna R172ES/N R1720147 · Built 1967 Airframe modelCessna R172E Engine modelContinental IO-360 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.

Pilot stated that the preflight and engine runup was normal. At 1100 mountain daylight time (MDT) the airplane took off from rwy 34R. The takeoff roll was normal with the airplane producing 2800 RPM and 14 gal/hr fuel flow. The rotation was executed at 60 mph. The airplane climbed out of ground effect to about 100 feet, at that point the airplane would not climb and the airspeed started to decrease. The pilot stated that the fuel flow and RPM still indicated normal. The pilot lowered the flaps to 10 degrees and lowered the nose to maintain 55-60 mph. The airplane landed 2500 feet north of the runway. The airplane touched down with the right main first, then the nose wheel. The soft and uneven ground caused the nose wheel to shear off and the airplane to flip over. The airplane came to rest upside down. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane without injury.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT THE PREFLIGHT AND ENGINE RUNUP WAS NORMAL. AT 1100 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME (MDT) THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF FROM RWY 34R. THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS NORMAL WITH THE AIRPLANE PRODUCING 2800 RPM AND 14 GAL/HR FUEL FLOW. THE ROTATION WAS EXECUTED AT 60 MPH. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED OUT OF GROUND EFFECT TO ABOUT 100 FEET, AT THAT POINT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB AND THE AIRSPEED STARTED TO DECREASE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FUEL FLOW AND RPM STILL INDICATED NORMAL. THE PILOT LOWERED THE FLAPS TO 10 DEGREES AND LOWERED THE NOSE TO MAINTAIN 55-60 MPH. THE AIRPLANE LANDED 2500 FEET NORTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE RIGHT MAIN FIRST, THEN THE NOSE WHEEL. THE SOFT AND UNEVEN GROUND CAUSED THE NOSE WHEEL TO SHEAR OFF AND THE AIRPLANE TO FLIP OVER. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT INJURY.

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 CEN18LA335Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportColorado Springs, COThe airplane’s failure to maintain a climb after takeoff, which resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain; the reason for the airplane’s failure to climb could not be determined based on the available evidence.Aug 16, 2018 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N146AC · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19920518017279AUnauth Low Level Opns · Ellicott, COMade low pass over a road to assess possible landing area. Left gear hit fence post. Returned base. Fuselage damageMay 18, 1992 · Substantial damage