- Date
- May 31, 2020, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeview, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N52794Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20200531011469A
- Case key
- 101360
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 control of the airplane during the takeoff.
Findings · 3
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 was attempting to take off on a turf runway that had a few muddy spots. He added power to the engine and back pressure on the flight control yoke to "protect the nose wheel." As the airplane accelerated, he applied right rudder to keep the airplane centered on the runway. The airplane was not turning as it should and had not lifted off, so he closed the throttle to reject the takeoff. The airplane struck trees on the left side of the runway and spun sideways into some additional smaller trees and bushes. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that could have contributed to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52794
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9211
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 4,002
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 12, 2019
- Departed
- 3MO · Lakeview, AR
- Destination
- DEC · Decatur, IL
- Airport
- 3M0 · Gastons, runway 06, 3,200 × 55 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- May 31, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 155 total · 23 in this make and model · 87 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- BPK, 4 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 14.1 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.