- Date
- January 5, 2015, 15:35 local (20:35 UTC)
- Place
- Marquette, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6591HCessna 172M
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 7, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20150105000119A
- Case key
- 90572
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 did not maintain directional control during takeoff on the snow and ice covered runway in gusting crosswind conditions.
Findings · 5
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
The pilot planned a local afternoon flight, which included takeoff from a runway covered with patchy snow and ice. Throughout the morning and afternoon prior to the accident, surface wind observations were westerly at 5 to 12 knots. During takeoff roll on the northerly runway, the pilot stated he encountered a gust of westerly crosswinds and the airplane yawed to the left. Unable to maintain directional control, the pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane subsequently impacted a snowdrift on the left side of the runway and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot planned a local afternoon flight, which included takeoff from a runway covered with patchy snow and ice. Throughout the morning and afternoon prior to the accident, surface wind observations were westerly at 5 to 12 knots. During takeoff roll on the northerly runway, the pilot stated he encountered a gust of westerly crosswinds and the airplane yawed to the left. Unable to maintain directional control, the pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane subsequently impacted a snowdrift on the left side of the runway and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6591H
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17265501
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 10,631
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Marquette County Flying Club Inc
- Registered owner
- Marquette County Flying Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 2014
- Departed
- SAW · Marquette, MI
- Destination
- SAW · Marquette, MI
- Airport
- SAW · Sawyer Intl, runway 01, 12,366 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 24, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 204 total · 190 in this make and model · 145 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 1 °F, dew point -11 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAW
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 26, 2015, 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.