# NTSB ERA10LA131: Cessna 172, N97075, Jackson, TN, February 3, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 3, 2010, 13:48 local (19:48 UTC) - Place: Jackson, TN - Coordinates: 35.593055, -88.909446 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5931&lon=-88.9094&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 12, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 75337 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10LA131 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75337/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75337 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA131 ## Probable cause The student pilot's loss of directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a collision with a snow bank. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot landed, taxied back to the runway, and departed again. She stayed in the traffic pattern and then landed again with a slight crosswind at about 3 knots. During the subsequent takeoff with full power, the airplane veered to the left. The student pilot applied right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left and veered into a snow bank. A postaccident examination of the airplane's nose landing gear revealed that the right bearing rod-end had broken off the arm assembly of the nose gear steering rod. Further examination of both components through magnified optics revealed deformation and fracture surface features consistent with bending overstress separations in both components. No indications of preexisting conditions, such as fatigue or corrosion, were found. ## Factual narrative On February 3, 2010, at 1348 central standard time, a Cessna 172P, N97075, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a snow bank during a takeoff attempt at McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL) Jackson, Tennessee. The certificated student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the instructional flight. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Civil Air Patrol under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated at Savannah-Hardin County Airport (SNH), Savannah, Tennessee, at 1245. According to the student pilot, she landed on runway 2 at MKL, taxied back and took off with closed traffic. She landed again on runway 2, with the winds being from 320-degrees at 3 knots. She stated that during the accident takeoff with full power, the airplane veered to the left. She added more right rudder to compensate for the left drift, but felt a jerk, and the airplane continued to turn left. The airplane impacted a snow bank on the left side of the runway, at which time the nose landing gear collapsed and the propeller made contact with the runway surface. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector confirmed that the airplane had impacted a snow bank off the left side of the runway, collapsing the nose landing gear and damaging the firewall. Further examination of the nose gear found the right “bearing-rod end” broken off the “arm assembly-nose gear steering rod.” The bearing-rod end and the arm assembly were sent to the NTSB’s Materials Laboratory for further examination. The examination of the bearing-rod end and the arm assembly-nose gear steering rod through magnified optical inspections revealed deformation and fracture surface features consistent with bending overstress separations in both components. No indications of preexisting conditions, such as fatigue or corrosion, were noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N97075](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N97075), registered now, S/N 17276152, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (P) - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1726152 - Airframe hours: 3958 - Engines: LYCOMING O360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 11, 2009, 20 hours before - Departed: MKL, Jackson, TN - Destination: MKL, Jackson, TN - Airport: MKL, McKellar-Sipes Regional, runway 02, 6,006 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 16; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 35 total, 35 in this make and model, 35 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Observed at: MKL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100203027089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100203027089A), Feb 3, 2010: Cessna 172P, Jackson, TN, Substantial damage. Student pilot was doing touch and go's on runway 2 at mkl. Telephone interviewwith ATC at mkl airport determined that the pilot had performed normal takeoff… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75337. 1.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 347 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329372&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 432 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329373&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 10-033 (item 3, .PDF, 288 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328166&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%2010-033-Master.PDF - FAA Digital Photo; Airplane damage (item 4, .PDF, 280 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329375&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Digital%20Photo;%20Airplane%20damage-Master.PDF - FAA Digital Photo; Nose gear stearing rod (item 5, .PDF, 239 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329376&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Digital%20Photo;%20Nose%20gear%20stearing%20rod-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.