- Date
- July 20, 1997, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Arcadia, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N152DGCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970720018879A
- Case key
- 3879
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
failure of the right nose wheel steering linkage. The close proximity of the fence was a related factor.
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 pilot stated that during the takeoff roll on a grass strip, at about 50 knots, he lost control of the airplane. The airplane then struck a fence and flipped over on its back. The pilot further stated that he was not aware of anything wrong with the airplane. However, examination of the nose wheel assembly revealed that the right hand steering linkage had failed.
Factual narrative
On July 20, 1997, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N152DG, veered off the runway during takeoff and collided with a fence at the Arcadia Municipal Airport, Arcadia, Florida. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed for the local, personal flight. The pilot who was the sole occupant, was not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was departing at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll on the grass strip, at about 50 knots he lost control of the airplane and struck a fence causing the airplane to flip over on its back. He further stated that there was nothing wrong with the airplane. However, close examination of the nose wheel assembly by an FAA Inspector found that the right hand steering linkage had separated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N152DG
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15279784
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-N2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Harald Kirchmayr
- Registered owner
- Paac Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- X06
- Airport
- X06 · Arcadia Municipal, runway 13, 2,780 × 140 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
- 31
- Certificates
- Foreign, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 80 total · 80 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KPG, 18 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.