- Date
- January 22, 2011, 15:08 local (21:08 UTC)
- Place
- McKinney, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N348MECessna 172S
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110122000859A
- Case key
- 78210
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 loss of directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the student pilot, after finishing several takeoffs and landings with his instructor, he was completing his first series of solo takeoffs and landings. The first takeoff and landing was uneventful. During the second takeoff attempt, after applying full power on the takeoff roll, the airplane started shaking and swerving to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder, but the airplane continued going to the left. The pilot stated that he reduced the power to idle and applied the brakes. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and impacted a construction ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine firewall and left wing. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the student pilot, after finishing several takeoff and landings with his instructor, he was completing his first series of solo takeoff and landings. The first takeoff and landing was uneventful. During the second takeoff attempt, he stated that after applying full power on the takeoff roll, the airplane started shaking in the front and going to the left. He put in full right rudder, but the airplane continued going to the left. The pilot stated that he pulled the power back to idle and applied the brakes. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and went into a construction ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine firewall and left wing. The pilot stated that he felt there may have been a mechanical problem with the nosewheel, rudder, or brakes. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N348ME
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8582
- Airframe hours
- 4,555
- Engine
- Lycoming IO360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Texas Aviation Support, Inc, doing business as Lone Star Flyers
- Registered owner
- Gzork Investments LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 27, 2010
- Departed
- KTKI · McKinney, TX
- Destination
- KTKI · McKinney, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KTKI · Collin County Regional Airport, runway 17, 7,001 × 100 ft, concrete
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25 total · 25 in this make and model · 16 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KTKI
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 22, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.