- Date
- April 23, 1989, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Elkin Arpt., NC
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7908UCessna 172F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890423009679A
- Case key
- 8017
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 failure of the pilot to properly compensate for the gusty wind conditions during takeoff and the delay in his decision to abort the takeoff before colliding with trees. Contributing to the accident were the gusty wind conditions and the pilot's lack of experience and proficiency.
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 winds were gusting while the pilot was attempting the takeoff. He lost directional control and crashed into trees about 3/4 down the runway. The pilot elected to abort the takeoff but drifted into the trees before he was able to correct back to the runway. There were no system problems reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7908U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17251908
- Airframe hours
- 2,461
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Catawba Valley Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 20, 1989 · 34 hours before
- Airport
- ZEF · Elkin Municipal, runway 7, 4,003 × 75 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
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 65 total · 2 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HKY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.