CHI04LA012

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172F · Columbus, NE · October 15, 2003

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
October 15, 2003, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
Place
Columbus, NE
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N5204FCessna 172F
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 1, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20031015026629A
Case key
58158

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted takeoff. Factors associated with the accident were the crosswind condition, the delayed aborted takeoff, and the student's lack of experience.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterTakeoff - roll/run
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Aborted takeoff - delayedPilot in commandFactor
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterTakeoff - aborted
Terrain condition - crop
Terrain condition - grass
Nose overTakeoff - aborted

Analysis

The airplane nosed over during an aborted takeoff on runway 14. The student pilot reported he was planning on making a touch and go landing, but he had a difficult time controlling the airplane because of the crosswind, so he elected to make a full stop landing. During the subsequent takeoff, the pilot reported, the airplane was pulling to the left so he aborted the takeoff at an airspeed of 45 knots. The airplane departed the left side of the runway approximately 2,600 feet from the threshold at the approach end of runway 14. It traveled about 320 feet through a grass area then an additional 100 feet through a wheat field. Tire marks indicate that once the airplane contacted the wheat field, it began to slide to the right. The right wing contacted the terrain and the airplane flipped over coming to rest approximately 480 feet from the runway. The airplane came to rest inverted on a heading of 360 degrees. Inspection of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the loss of directional control. The winds reported at OLU at 1455 were from 70 degrees at 13 knots. According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the student pilot reported having 15 hours of flight time on the application for this third class airmen medical certificate which was dated September 5, 2003.

Factual narrative

On October 15, 2003, at 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 172F, N5204F, nosed over during an aborted takeoff on runway 14 (6,800 feet by 100 feet, concrete) at the Columbus Municipal Airport (OLU), Columbus, Nebraska. The student pilot received a minor injury. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska.

The student pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector that he was planning on making a touch and go landing at OLU, but he had a difficult time controlling the airplane because of the crosswind, so he elected to make a full stop landing. During the subsequent takeoff, the pilot reported, the airplane was pulling to the left so he aborted the takeoff at an airspeed of 45 knots. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and eventually nosed over. This was the student pilot's first solo cross-country flight.

A FAA inspector reported that the airplane departed the left side of the runway approximately 2,600 feet from the threshold at the approach end of runway 14. The inspector stated the airplane traveled about 320 feet through a grass area then an additional 100 feet through a wheat field. Tire marks indicate that once the airplane contacted the wheat field, it began to slide to the right. The right wing contacted the terrain and the airplane flipped over coming to rest approximately 480 feet from the runway. The inspector reported that the aircraft came to rest inverted on a heading of 360 degrees.

Inspection of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the loss of directional control..

The winds reported at OLU at 1455 were from 70 degrees at 13 knots.

According to FAA records, the student pilot reported having 15 hours of flight time on the application for this third class airmen medical certificate which was dated September 5, 2003.

Aircraft

Registration
N5204F
Reported as
Cessna 172F
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17253195
Engine
Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
United States Air Force
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
OFF · Offutt AFB, NE
Destination
OLU · Columbus, NE
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
OLU · Columbus Municipal, runway 14, 6,800 × 100 ft, concrete

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
27
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
15 total

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
70° at 13 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
6,000 ft broken
Temperature
57 °F, dew point 37 °F
Altimeter
29.97 inHg
Observed at
OLU

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.