- Date
- September 24, 2006, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7939BCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20060924023369A
- Case key
- 64593
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to follow the checklist to ensure the proper positioning of the magneto switch during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power, and a subsequent collision with high vegetation during the takeoff run. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper positioning of the magneto switch on the left magneto position.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private certificated pilot was departing from a remote area that was about 900 feet long on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, local area personal flight. The pilot reported that he previously had trouble with the airplane's charging system. When he attempted to start the airplane for takeoff, the battery was dead. He placed the magneto switch on the left magneto to facilitate starting, and hand-propped the engine. He then began the takeoff roll, which was longer than he expected. In order to miss trees at the end of the departure area, the pilot applied left rudder to maneuver past the trees, but the right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator collided with high brush. The airplane became airborne, and the pilot continued to his destination, about 8 miles away. Upon landing, the pilot discovered substantial damage to the stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that he also discovered that the magneto switch was still on the left magneto position, and that he did not select the "both" magneto position prior to the takeoff, thereby reducing available engine power.
Factual narrative
The private certificated pilot was departing from a remote area that was about 900 feet long on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, local area personal flight. The pilot reported that he previously had trouble with the airplane's charging system. When he attempted to start the airplane for takeoff, the battery was dead. He placed the magneto switch on the left magneto to facilitate starting, and hand-propped the engine. He then began the takeoff roll, which was longer than he expected. In order to miss trees at the end of the departure area, the pilot applied left rudder to maneuver past the trees, but the right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator collided with high brush. The airplane became airborne, and the pilot continued to his destination, about 8 miles away. Upon landing, the pilot discovered substantial damage to the stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that he also discovered that the magneto switch was still on the left magneto position, and that he did not select the "both" magneto position prior to the takeoff, thereby reducing available engine power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7939B
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29739
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joel L. Hard
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Palmer, AK
- Destination
- PAAQ · Palmer, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 732 total · 55 in this make and model · 27 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.