- Date
- February 14, 2003, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clare, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N693SACessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030214001909A
- Case key
- 56520
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 student pilot failed to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff roll. A factor was the snow bank.
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 sustained substantial damage when it veered off the runway and hit a snow bank. The student pilot was on a solo cross country instructional flight. The student pilot, who had a total of 38 hours of flight time, reported that she "pulled the nose up too soon" during takeoff. The airplane veered to the left as she tried to lower the nose. She reduced power but was unable to prevent the airplane from departing the runway and hitting a snow bank on the left side of the runway.
Factual narrative
On February 14, 2003, at 1430 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N693SA, operated by American Wings Academy, sustained substantial damage when it veered off runway 8 (2,500 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) during takeoff roll at Clare Municipal Airport (48D), Clare, Michigan. The student pilot was not injured. The Title 14 Part 91 solo cross country instructional flight was departing 48D en route to Bishop International Airport (FNT), Flint, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was on a VFR flight plan.
The student pilot, who had a total of 38 hours of flight time, reported that she "pulled the nose up too soon" during takeoff. The airplane veered to the left as she tried to lower the nose. She reduced power but was unable to prevent the airplane from departing the runway and hitting a snow bank on the left side of the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N693SA
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17258514
- Airframe hours
- 1,551
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- American Wings Academy
- Registered owner
- Denron Contracting Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 30, 2002 · 49 hours before
- Departed
- 48D · Clare, MI
- Destination
- FNT · Flint, MI
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 48D · Clare Municipal Airport, runway 8, 2,500 × 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 38 total · 38 in this make and model · 4 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 25 °F, dew point 3 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- MOP, 12 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 31, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 321 KB 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.