# Accident 20200603007349A: Cessna 172R, North Las Vegas, NV, June 3, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 3, 2020, 09:42 local time
- Place: North Las Vegas, NV
- Airport: North Las Vegas
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.2103° N, 115.1956° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2103&lon=-115.1956&mi=10
- Aircraft: N478ER, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N478ER-2021-08-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172R (registry code 2072401, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 594 total, 306 in this make and model, 172 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20CA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA167) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200603007349A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## 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 WPR20CA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA167), Jun 3, 2020: Cessna 172 (N478ER), Las Vegas, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during a soft-field takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

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.
