What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 3, 2020 at approximately 0942 PDT, a 1998 Cessna 172R (N478ER), single engine airplane, fixed tricycle gear, with two people onboard, veered off runway 30L at the North Las Vegas Airport (vgt) impacting terrain shortly after becoming airborne. The pilot was a private pilot student accompanied by a CFI attempting a soft field takeoff.
The aircraft?s left wing dipped down shortly after becoming airborne causing the aircraft to veer to the left. The left wing tip struck the gravel between runway 30L and taxiway b. the aircraft continued across taxiway b while intermittently contacting the surface with the landing gear, tailskid, and forward corners of the elevator. The aircraft continued on to the transient ramp and turned back towards the runway. The aircraft subsequently came to a rest in the gravel area between taxiway b and runway 30L.
The aircraft?s tailskid and elevator had damage consistent with attempting to rotate at a low airspeed. The left wing had substantial damage to the upper and lower surfaces within 3 feet from the tip of the wing. The right wing tip had abrasions from contacting the surface.
Inspectors established flight control continuity and engine control during the examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 3, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 0942 PDT, A 1998 CESSNA 172R (N478ER), SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE, FIXED TRICYCLE GEAR, WITH TWO PEOPLE ONBOARD, VEERED OFF RUNWAY 30L AT THE NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT (VGT) IMPACTING TERRAIN SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE PILOT WAS A PRIVATE PILOT STUDENT ACCOMPANIED BY A CFI ATTEMPTING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF.
THE AIRCRAFT?S LEFT WING DIPPED DOWN SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE GRAVEL BETWEEN RUNWAY 30L AND TAXIWAY B. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ACROSS TAXIWAY B WHILE INTERMITTENTLY CONTACTING THE SURFACE WITH THE LANDING GEAR, TAILSKID, AND FORWARD CORNERS OF THE ELEVATOR. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ON TO THE TRANSIENT RAMP AND TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY CAME TO A REST IN THE GRAVEL AREA BETWEEN TAXIWAY B AND RUNWAY 30L.
THE AIRCRAFT?S TAILSKID AND ELEVATOR HAD DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH ATTEMPTING TO ROTATE AT A LOW AIRSPEED. THE LEFT WING HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES WITHIN 3 FEET FROM THE TIP OF THE WING. THE RIGHT WING TIP HAD ABRASIONS FROM CONTACTING THE SURFACE.
INSPECTORS ESTABLISHED FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY AND ENGINE CONTROL DURING THE EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.