# NTSB ANC01LA085: Cessna 172K, N78254, Wasilla, AK, July 15, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 14, 2001, 16:30 local (Jul 15, 2001, 00:30 UTC) - Place: Wasilla, AK - Coordinates: 61.575553, -149.545272 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5756&lon=-149.5453&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 3, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 52747 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC01LA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52747/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA085 ## Probable cause The pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff roll. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - aborted - aborted takeoff - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing - aborted ## Analysis The student pilot was departing from a 3,700 feet long, paved runway. During the takeoff roll, about midway down the runway, she felt that the airplane was not going to fly as the airspeed exceeded 70 knots, so she closed the throttle, and applied heavy braking. The airplane veered slightly to the right, continued off the end of the runway, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and engine firewall. An FAA airworthiness inspector traveled to the accident airport and examined the airplane. He reported that he was unable to detect any preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On July 14, 2001, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 172K airplane, N78254, sustained substantial damage during an aborted takeoff from the Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska. The solo student pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) instructional flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on July 14, the student pilot reported that she was practicing touch-and-go landings, and that she had completed two touch-and-go landings on runway 03. She said that during the second landing, she inadvertently touched down farther down the runway than anticipated, so she elected to perform a full stop landing, taxi back to the end of the runway, and utilize the full length of the 3,700 feet long, paved runway. She said that during the takeoff roll, about midway down the runway, she felt that the airplane was not going to fly as the airspeed exceeded 70 knots, so she closed the throttle, and applied heavy braking. The airplane veered slightly to the right, continued off the end of the runway, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and engine firewall. The airplane was retrieved from the accident site and transported to the parking area. On July 17, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office, traveled to the accident airport and examined the airplane. He reported that he was unable to detect any preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N78254](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N78254), registered now, S/N 17257547, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172K - Registry model: [Cessna 172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (registry code 2072430) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17257547 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Elizabeth A. Hanson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Z16, WASILLA, AK - Destination: Z16, WASILLA, AK - Airport: Z16, Wasilla, runway 03, 3,700 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 100 total, 83 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010714039999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010714039999A), Jul 14, 2001: Cessna 172K, Wsilla, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 14, 2001, at 1630 adt, a Cessna 172K, N78254, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff from the Wasilla airport. The aircraft was… ## Other investigations on N78254 (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 ANC89LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC89LA146), Aug 19, 1989: Cessna 172 (N78254), Eureka Lodge, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE HUMP (UNEVEN SURFACE) ON THE RUNWAY. 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. --- 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.