20221204018269A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Fergus Falls, MN · December 4, 2022

Date: December 4, 2022 · 11:00 local
Place: Fergus Falls, MN
Airport: Fergus Falls Municipal-Einar Mickel
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N926HM
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA054
Reported as: Cessna A185F
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,275 total32 in this make and model

N926HMRegistered now · Cessna A185FS/N 18502422 · Built 1974 Airframe modelCessna A185F Engine modelContinental IO-520-DReciprocating

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 in command (PIC) attempted a take-off from runway 31 at Fergus Falls municipal airport in an aircraft he had just purchased. (PIC declined an introductory flight with the previous owner / CFI.) The PIC lost directional control of the aircraft during the take-off roll and veered off the left side of runway 31 striking the precision approach path indicator lights (papi's.) the aircraft continued through the grass and came to rest in a drainage ditch. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right wing assembly, empennage, propeller, right landing gear assembly and associated structure. PIC and passenger were not injured.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) ATTEMPTED A TAKE-OFF FROM RUNWAY 31 AT FERGUS FALLS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN AN AIRCRAFT HE HAD JUST PURCHASED. (PIC DECLINED AN INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER / CFI.) THE PIC LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL AND VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 31 STRIKING THE PRECISION APPROACH PATH INDICATOR LIGHTS (PAPI'S.) THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THROUGH THE GRASS AND CAME TO REST IN A DRAINAGE DITCH. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING ASSEMBLY, EMPENNAGE, PROPELLER, RIGHT LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE. PIC AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED.

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 WPR23LA054Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportFergus Falls, MNThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, resulting in a runway excursion.Dec 4, 2022 · Substantial damage