- Date
- February 7, 2010, 15:53 local (20:53 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Myers, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N772CTFlight Design Ctls
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 17, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100207036569A
- Case key
- 75352
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.
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 student pilot of the special light-sport airplane stated that he had performed six touch-and-go landings with his certified flight instructor (CFI), and at the completion, his instructor approved him for solo flight. He obtained the automated terminal information service, which indicated the wind was from 320 degrees at 10 knots, and he taxied to runway 31. He began the takeoff roll and felt that the airplane was being pushed from the left. He corrected with rudder input and felt as though he was being pushed back to the right, even though he had corrective rudder input. He applied left rudder input again, but the airplane went off the runway and contacted the ground, nosing over. The student exited the inverted airplane and was not injured. The student’s CFI, who was watching the takeoff, reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane began veering towards the left side of the runway. Briefly, the CFI saw the nose and left main landing gear off the runway about 6 to 12 inches, before seeing them contact the runway surface. The CFI further reported that while on the ground the airplane then collided with a taxiway sign, causing the airplane to nose over. Postaccident inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the flight controls.
Factual narrative
The student pilot of the special light-sport airplane stated that he had performed six touch-and-go landings with his certified flight instructor (CFI), and at the completion, his instructor approved him for solo flight. He obtained the automated terminal information service, which indicated the wind was from 320 degrees at 10 knots, and he taxied to runway 31. He began the takeoff roll and felt that the airplane was being pushed from the left. He corrected with rudder input and felt as though he was being pushed back to the right, even though he had corrective rudder input. He applied left rudder input again, but the airplane went off the runway and contacted the ground, nosing over. The student exited the inverted airplane and was not injured. The student’s CFI, who was watching the takeoff, reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane began veering towards the left side of the runway. Briefly, the CFI saw the nose and left main landing gear off the runway about 6 to 12 inches, before seeing them contact the runway surface. The CFI further reported that while on the ground the airplane then collided with a taxiway sign, causing the airplane to nose over. Postaccident inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the flight controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N772CT
- Reported as
- Flight Design Ctls
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F-09-05-08
- Airframe hours
- 196
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Paragon Flight Training Centers Ltd
- Registered owner
- Paragon Flight Training Centers Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 12, 2009
- Departed
- FMY · Fort Myers, FL
- Destination
- FMY · Fort Myers, FL
- Airport
- FMY · Page Field Airport, runway 31, 4,912 × 150 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
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 23 total · 10 in this make and model · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- FMY
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 13, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 620 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.