- Date
- November 19, 1992, 20:02 local (Nov 20, 1992, 02:02 UTC)
- Place
- Brownsboro, AL
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5952RCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921119047439A
- Case key
- 8676
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 failed to evaluate the wind conditions and took off with a tailwind which resulted in the collision with a tree on the departure end of the runway. Factors were dark night and tailwind.
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 newly certificated pilot attempted a visual night takeoff with a tailwind. The flight was observed as it climbed out from runway 27 and collided with a tree about 1/4 mile from the end of the sod runway. After colliding with the tree, the airplane continued about 200 plus feet before impacting the ground inverted. Wreckage examination failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. However, the carburetor examination revealed that a composite material type float was installed. The airplane was serviced with 30 gallons of automotive fuel. Additionally according to the operator's manual, there is no performance data available to the pilot for a tailwind takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5952R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-83621
- Airframe hours
- 5,410
- Engine
- Continental O-300D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Derrick Mitchell, doing business as Moontown Aviation
- Registered owner
- Moontown Airport Inc.,
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 17, 1992 · 98 hours before
- Departed
- 3M5
- Destination
- 3M5
- Airport
- 3M5 · Moontown, runway 27, 2,180 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- 17
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 85 total · 13 in this make and model · 27 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HSV, 15 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.