# NTSB CEN20CA188: Cessna R172, N612R, Lino Lakes, MN, May 20, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 20, 2020, 09:46 local (14:46 UTC) - Place: Lino Lakes, MN - Coordinates: 45.157501, -93.121665 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1575&lon=-93.1217&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 101317 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA188 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101317/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101317 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA188 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff with a crosswind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R172K, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072431), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R172K, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072431), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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 R172K, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072431), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and flight instructor were conducting a local flight in the float equipped airplane from a seaplane base. The pilot stated that there was a crosswind from the southeast and he planned to takeoff to the southwest with a 30° left turn while "on step" to avoid the lake weed bloom in progress. The pilot added that during the takeoff attempt, with the airplane "on step," he made a left turn toward an opening in the weeds, swung around a buoy, then the airplane capsized. A witness reported that during the takeoff, the left float was higher than the right and the right wing dipped down. The pilot reported to the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector that the centrifugal force acting on the airplane and the left crosswind allowed the left wing to lift and the right float sunk into the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the engine mount. There were no reported mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot and flight instructor were conducting a local flight in the float equipped airplane from a seaplane base. The pilot stated that there was a crosswind from the southeast and he planned to takeoff to the southwest with a 30° left turn while "on step" to avoid the lake weed bloom in progress. The pilot added that during the takeoff attempt, with the airplane "on step," he made a left turn toward an opening in the weeds, swung around a buoy, then the airplane capsized. A witness reported that during the takeoff, the left float was higher than the right and the right wing dipped down. The pilot reported to the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector that the centrifugal force acting on the airplane and the left crosswind allowed the left wing to lift and the right float sunk into the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the engine mount. There were no reported mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N612R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N612R), registered now, S/N R1722687, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna R172 (K) - Registry model: [Cessna R172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172k) (registry code 2072431) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: R1722687 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 4945 - Engines: continental Motors IO-360-KB 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 16, 2020 - Departed: 8Y4, Lino Lakes, MN - Destination: 8Y4, Lino Lakes, MN - Airport: 8Y4, Surfside, runway SW, 6,500 × 1,000 ft, water - Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 1, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 681 total, 145 in this make and model, 596 as pilot in command, 6.5 in the last 90 days, 4.5 in the last 30 days - Flight instructor; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial, flight engineer, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 10,638 total, 76 in this make and model, 2,942 as pilot in command, 76 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,600 ft overcast - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: KANE, 4 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 20200520006889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200520006889A), May 20, 2020: Cessna R172K, Lino Lakes, MN, Substantial damage. 2020-05-20 N612R Cessna 172 equipped with floats, flipped inverted while attempting to takeoff from the Surfside sea base on rice lake. There were two pilots… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101317. 7.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 560 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9789625&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20pilot%20and%20cfi_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 5.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9789144&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20report%20with%20photos%202020-05-20-N612R-Rel.pdf - Witness statements (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9789753&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%20statement%20(faa%20email)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 436 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9790086&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20Photos-Rel.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.