CEN18LA171

During initial climb after a soft field takeoff, the private pilot noted that the airspeed was low, which he thought was due to a pitot system error. He pulled back on the yoke and the airplane's stall warning horn immediately sounded. The airplane was descending, and the pilot maneuvered to avoid obstructions. He pulled the yoke all the way back to fully stall the airplane before the airplane impacted the ground and nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot failed to attain adequate airspeed control during the takeoff and initial climb, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.

On May 11, 2018, about 0940 eastern daylight time, Cessna 172N airplane, N738XT, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground and nosed over during takeoff from runway 10 at the Markley Farm Airport (OH24), Orrville, Ohio. The private pilot received serious injuries and the passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained damage to the fuselage, wings and vertical tail. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and the Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB), near Lewisburg, West Virginia, was the intended destination. The pilot reported that he was taking off on runway 10 from his private grass airstrip. He reported that he noted the wind was calm and that the temperature was "warmer", and he referenced the pilot's operating handbook for a soft field takeoff using 10 degrees of flaps. He stated that after takeoff the airplane was in ground-effect and was gaining speed. He noted that he checked, and the airspeed was between 50 and 60 knots. When he looked back toward the runway, he was left of the runway and corrected back to the right. He re-checked the airspeed and it was now reading between zero and the bottom of the white arc (41 knots). He stated that he thought that the airspeed reading was due to a pitot system error and pulled back on the yoke to see if he could climb out; however, the stall warning horn sounded immediately. He diverted to the left to avoid obstructions and was losing altitude rapidly. He pulled the yoke back all the way to fully stall the airplane and it struck the ground and nosed over. He noted in his report that, to the best of his knowledge, there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane, engine, or systems that would have precluded normal operation.