- Date
- April 8, 2013, 18:20 local (23:20 UTC)
- Place
- Manvel, TX
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7825TCessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 4, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130408008079A
- Case key
- 86620
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’s failure to maintain airplane control while taking off in gusting wind conditions.
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
During the takeoff roll from runway 2, the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The airplane became airborne, touched down, and "skipped" several times before it nosed over and came to rest inverted. Both wings and the vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the nearest facility recorded the wind from 150 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 16 knots.
Factual narrative
During the takeoff roll from the grass runway 02, the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The airplane became airborne, touched down and "skipped" several times before it nosed over and came to rest inverted. Both wings and the vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the nearest facility recorded the wind from 150 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 16 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7825T
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17257538
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 3T2 · Manvel, TX
- Destination
- KLVJ · Houston, TX
- Airport
- 3T2 · Wolfe Air Park, runway 02, 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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 15, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 220 total · 41 in this make and model · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- KLVJ, 5 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 25, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 605 KB 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.
Other investigations on N7825T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.