# NTSB ATL03LA034: Cessna 172S, N5199H, Mt. Pleasant, SC, January 11, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 11, 2003, 12:20 local (17:20 UTC) - Place: Mt. Pleasant, SC - Coordinates: 32.897777, -79.782775 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8978&lon=-79.7828&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: South Carolina FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56330 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL03LA034 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56330/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56330 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA034 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a loss of control and collision with terrain. ## Analysis The student pilot attempted to takeoff for his first solo flight. As power was applied for the takeoff roll, the student pilot maintained alignment with the runway centerline. A few seconds later, the airplane moved slightly left of the centerline. The student pilot made corrections to align the airplane back onto the centerline. The airplane then rolled to the right of the centerline. The student pilot then attempted for the second time to correct the airplane by going to the left. The airplane oscillated from left to right and back, and then headed sharply 30 degrees to the left. The airplane then departed runway 35 where the nose wheel sank in soft ground and the airplane nosed over. ## Factual narrative On January 11, 2003, at 1220 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N5199H, registered to a private owner and operated by Coastal Aviation, collided and flipped inverted during an attempted takeoff from East Cooper Airport in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The instructional flight was operated under the provisions Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the student pilot was not injured. The accident occurred during the initial takeoff from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, on January 11, 2003 at 1220. The student pilot stated that this was his first solo flight. As power was applied for the takeoff roll, the student pilot maintained alignment with the runway centerline. A few seconds later into the takeoff roll, the airplane moved slightly left of the centerline. The student pilot made corrections to the right to align the airplane with the centerline. The airplane then rolled to the right of the centerline. The student pilot then attempted a second correction to the left. The airplane oscillated from left to right and back, and then rolled sharply 30 degrees to the left, and departed the runway surface. The nose wheel sank in soft ground and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed propeller, left wing and strut, rudder, vertical fin and nose wheel cover damage. The student pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane before the accident. The post-accident examination of the airplane also failed to disclose a mechanical problem. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - roll/run - terrain condition - soft (cause) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5199H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5199H-2019-03-15), registration cancelled 2019-03-15, S/N 172S9094 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S9094 - Airframe hours: 285 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Coastal Aviation - Registered owner: Cs172 LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Mt. Pleasant, SC - Airport: 8S5, East Cooper, runway 35, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 27; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3; seat: left; flight hours: 22 total, 22 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: CHS, 6 nm away ## 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 20030111006979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030111006979A), Jan 11, 2003: Cessna 172S, Mt Pleasant, SC, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot on first solo flight lost control of aircraft on takeoff roll. Aircraft departed runway 35 and continued for approximately 100 feet before… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 6, 2006, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56330. 497 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.5 (item 1, .PDF, 497 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438980&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.5-Redacted.PDF 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.