- Date
- June 20, 2009, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lovingston, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1664FCessna 172H
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 74118
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 directional control during takeoff.
Findings · 2
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 departing from a 1,800-foot-long by 60-foot-wide turf runway in crosswind conditions. During the takeoff rotation, a gust of wind "shifted" the airplane, and it "lost its lift." The airplane’s left main landing gear contacted plowed soil on the side of the runway, and the airplane "pitched over." Both the propeller and left wing struck the ground before the airplane settled back onto all three landing gear. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the left wing. The closest weather reporting station, located 25 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, was reporting calm winds at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing from a 1,800-foot-long by 60-foot-wide turf runway in crosswind conditions. During the takeoff rotation, a gust of wind "shifted" the airplane, and it "lost its lift." The airplane’s left main landing gear contacted plowed soil to the side of the runway, and the airplane then "pitched over." Both the propeller and left wing struck the ground before the airplane settled back onto all three landing gear. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the left wing. The closest weather reporting station, located 25 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, was reporting calm winds at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1664F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17255059
- Airframe hours
- 3,667
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wood Barry Glendon Sr
- Registered owner
- Wood Barry Glendon Sr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 7, 2008
- Departed
- VG52 · Lovingston, VA
- Destination
- VG52 · Lovingston, VA
- Airport
- VG52 · Woodrigde Field, runway 10, 1,800 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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
- 52
- Injuries
- Fatal
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 240 total · 157 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.71 inHg
- Observed at
- CHO, 25 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 27, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 511 KB in all.