- Date
- February 5, 2000, 09:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Chesterfield, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N738EJCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000205011769A
- Case key
- 48620
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 failed to maintain directional control during the takeoff portion of a touch and go landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was substantially damaged when it veered off the left side of the runway when takeoff power was applied after a touch and go landing. The pilot reported that after the landing she prepared for takeoff. She recalled, '... an instantaneous thought of 'that (the plane) feels odd,' and then I was immediately and rapidly veering left.' She reported the airplane veered off the runway and into the grass. She aborted the takeoff. She reported the airplane crossed a taxiway before stopping in the grass.
Factual narrative
On February 5, 2000, at 0945 central standard time, a Cessna 172, N738EJ, was substantially damaged when it veered off the left side of the runway when takeoff power was applied after a touch and go landing. The private pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was doing touch and goes at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, Chesterfield, Missouri, on a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported that after the landing she prepared for takeoff. She recalled, "...an instantaneous thought of 'that (the plane) feels odd,' and then I was immediately and rapidly veering left." She reported the veered off the runway and into the grass. She aborted the takeoff. She reported the airplane crossed a taxiway before stopping in the grass.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N738EJ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17269917
- Airframe hours
- 4,651
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Skyline Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 17, 1999 · 68 hours before
- Departed
- SUS
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- SUS · Spirit Of St. Louis, runway 26R, 3,800 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 192 total · 9 in this make and model · 79 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SUS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N738EJ · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.