- Date
- September 30, 1990, 10:08 local (15:08 UTC)
- Place
- Dothan, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N49553Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900930043319A
- Case key
- 8284
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 student pilot's selection of the wrong runway and the subsequent loss of directional control during takeoff. The pilot's improper usage of flight controls, presence of crosswind conditions, and his overall lack of experience were factors in the accident.
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 student pilot was preparing for a supervised solo flight. When cleared for an intersection departure (runway 13), he erroneously turned onto runway 31 and started his takeoff roll. Surface winds were out of 060 degrees at 10 knots. The airplane began to veer to the right, and the application of right rudder aggravated the situation. After being unable to maintain directional control of the airplane, he attempted of lift off, and the airplane subsequently collided with the ground in a nose low attitude. The pilot did not report any mechanical difficulties with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49553
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283475
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Napier Air Service, Inc.
- Departed
- DHN · Dothan, AL
- Airport
- DHN · Dothan, runway 31, 8,498 × 150 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
- 25
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 16 total · 16 in this make and model · 16 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DHN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.