- Date
- January 1, 2009, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2228LCessna 172SP
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 73170
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's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's lack of solo flight experience and the snow bank located off the left side of the runway.
Findings · 4
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 student pilot was conducting his first solo flight and had performed two uneventful stop-and-go landings. As the airplane accelerated during the third takeoff, it began to veer to the left. The student pilot applied right rudder; however, the airplane contacted a snow bank located off the left side of the runway and nosed over, substantially damaging the airplane. The student pilot stated that the winds were calm and the ailerons were in a neutral position during the takeoff. He did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
Factual narrative
The student pilot was conducting his first solo flight and had performed two uneventful stop-and-go landings. As the airplane accelerated during the third takeoff, it began to veer to the left. The student pilot applied right rudder; however, the airplane contacted a snow bank located off the left side of the runway and nosed over, substantially damaging the airplane. The student pilot stated that the winds were calm and the ailerons were in a neutral position during the takeoff. He did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2228L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172SP
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S10027
- Airframe hours
- 1,017
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Miosi Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 16, 2008 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- BQR · Lancaster, NY
- Destination
- BQR · Lancaster, NY
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- BQR · Buffalo-Lancaster Regional, runway 26, 3,200 × 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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 86 total · 86 in this make and model · 28 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 7 °F, dew point 3 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- BUF, 5 nm away
Other investigations on N2228L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.