- Date
- October 13, 2002, 14:42 local (18:42 UTC)
- Place
- Pompano Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6542JCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Fort Lauderdale FSDO-17
- FAA report
- 20021013036009A
- Case key
- 55872
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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
As the airplane climbed through 90 feet, the pilot noticed a loss of engine power. The pilot elected to shut down the engine by reducing the power and mixture levers. The airplane touched down on the runway and bounced about three times. Efforts by the pilot to stop airplane on the runway surface were unsuccessful. The airplane continued off the departure end of the runway and overrun, and collided with a fence. During the post-accident engine test run, the engine developed normal takeoff power without hesitation or roughness. The post-engine inspection disclosed no oil leaks or further discrepancies. According to the pilot, there were 40 gallons of fuel onboard the airplane at the time of the attempted takeoff. Review of weather data disclosed that conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.
Factual narrative
On October 13, 2002, at 1442 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N6542J, registered to ATE of Texas Inc., and operated by American Flyers, as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight collided with a fence after takeoff from Pompano Airpark, Pompano, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the private pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed from Pompano Beach, Florida, at 1440.
According to the pilot, shortly after liftoff from runway 10, and as the airplane climbed through 90 feet, the pilot noticed a loss of engine power. As the airplane started to descend, the pilot decided to land straight ahead on the remaining runway surface. The pilot elected to shut down the engine by reducing the power and mixture levers. The airplane touched down on the runway and bounced about three times. Efforts by the pilot to stop the airplane on the runway surface were unsuccessful. The airplane continued off the departure end of the runway and overrun, and collided with a fence.
The initial examination of the airplane at the accident site disclosed that the left and right wing assemblies sustained structural damage. The engine firewall was also buckled. During the post-accident engine test run, the engine developed normal takeoff power without hesitation or roughness. The post-engine inspection disclosed no oil leaks or further discrepancies.
According to the pilot, there were 40 gallons of fuel onboard the airplane at the time of the attempted takeoff. Review of weather data disclosed that conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6542J
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273887
- Airframe hours
- 12,200
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- American Flyers
- Registered owner
- ATE of Texas Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 12, 2002 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- PMP · Pompano Beach, NC
- Destination
- SRQ · Sarasota, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- PMP · Pompano Beach Airpark, runway 10, 3,502 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- October 9, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 76 total · 30 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- PMP
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6542J · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.