# NTSB CEN13LA581: Cessna 172, N8878B, Rio Vista, TX, September 30, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 30, 2013, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: Rio Vista, TX
- Coordinates: 32.233333, -97.380554 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2333&lon=-97.3806&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 14, 2016
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 88421
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA581
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88421/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88421
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA581

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb after an excessive takeoff run from a grass airstrip, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remediation.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072402), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2072402), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=2072402), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md)
- [Aircraft capability: takeoff distance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061025): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061025/cases.md?model=2072402), [All aircraft, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061025/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072402), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=2072402), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072402), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot and flight instructor were conducting the flight. The student reported that he and the flight instructor had landed at the airstrip to pick up a passenger. They then took off from the grass airstrip with the student flying the airplane. The airplane was about half to three-quarters of the way down the runway when it lifted off. The student pointed the airplane's nose forward to increase the airspeed, but the airplane was nearing the end of the runway. He raised the nose to climb higher, but the airplane would not climb. About 70 ft above ground level, the airplane stalled. The flight instructor then took the controls, but the airplane was not accelerating. The airplane struck a tree at the end of the airstrip and then impacted the ground. The pilot stated that he did not think the engine was producing sufficient power; however, no anomalies were found with the airplane during a postaccident examination. The runway was 2,600 ft long, and, based on the weather conditions at the time of the accident, the airplane's takeoff ground run distance to clear a 50-ft obstacle was 1,287 ft. Given that the airplane did not lift off until about half to three-quarters of the way down the runway, it is likely that there was insufficient runway distance remaining for the airplane to safely clear the trees at the end of the airstrip. The student raised the airplane's nose to gain altitude, which resulted in his failure to maintain adequate airspeed and led to the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.

## Factual narrative

On September 30, 2013, about 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 172 airplane, N8878B, impacted in a field during takeoff from Lowell Smith Airport (3TX6), Rio Vista, Texas. The airline transport-rated pilot (ATP)/flight instructor, the student pilot, and the passenger on board were not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned and operated by the student pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that was not operating on a flight plan. The flight originated from the 3TX6. The student pilot reported that he and the ATP-rated pilot had landed at 3TX6 to pick up the passenger. They then took off from the grass airstrip and the student pilot was flying the airplane. They were about halfway to 3/4 of the way down the runway when the airplane lifted off. They pointed the nose of the airplane forward to increase the airspeed, but they quickly ran out of runway. He raised the nose to climb higher, but the airplane would not climb. At about 70 feet agl, the airplane stalled. The ATP-rated pilot stated he got on the controls when the airplane was not accelerating. The airplane struck a tree at the end of the airstrip before impacting the ground. An examination of the airplane showed substantial damage to the wings, nose wheel, and the firewall. In a subsequent statement the ATP-pilot stated that he did not think the engine was producing sufficient power, however a follow on examination of the airplane showed no anomalies. At 1255, the routine aviation weather report for Cleburne Regional Airport (KCPT), Cleburne, Texas, 8.3 miles north of 3TX6 was wind 170 at 6 kts, clear skies, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 81 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 52 degrees F, and altimeter 29.92 inches Hg. The Cessna 172 and Skyhawk Take-Off Data table showed that for a 2,300 lb airplane at sea level and 59-degrees F standard temperature, and with a headwind of 10 kts, the takeoff ground run from a hard surface runway would have been 615 ft, and to clear a 50 foot obstacle, 1,170 ft. The table required that the distances must be increased 10 percent for each 25 degrees F above standard temperature, which would have made the takeoff ground run 677 ft and to clear a 50 foot obstacle, 1,287 ft. Runway 17/35 at 3TX6 was 2,600 ft long and 110 ft. wide.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8878B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8878B-2018-02-07), registration cancelled 2018-02-07, S/N 36578, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172) (registry code 2072402) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 36578
- Year built: 1958
- Engines: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER 145 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: 3TX6, Rio Vista, TX
- Destination: 3TX6, Rio Vista, TX
- Airport: 3TX6, Lowell Smith Jr, runway 17, 2,600 × 110 ft, grass/turf

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observed at: CPT, 3 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20130930025449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130930025449A), Sep 30, 2013: Cessna 172, Rio Vista, TX, Substantial damage. On September 30, 2013, at approximately 1300 central daylight time (CDT), a Cessna 172, N8878B, was involved in an accident after takeoff, during climb out on…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 6, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88421. 3.6 MB in all.

- Memorandum of Record, Investigation Reconstruction (item 1, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442006&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record,%20Investigation%20Reconstruction-Master.PDF
- Pilot's Statement - Student Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 236 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442007&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement%20-%20Student%20Pilot-Master.PDF
- Pilot's Statement - ATP (item 3, .PDF, 659 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442008&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement%20-%20ATP-Master.PDF
- Airport Information (item 4, .PDF, 487 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442009&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Information-Master.PDF
- Weather Information (item 5, .PDF, 436 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442010&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Information-Master.PDF
- Cessna 172 Performance Charts (item 6, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442011&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cessna%20172%20Performance%20Charts-Master.PDF
- Photos (item 7, .PDF, 2 photos, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442012&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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