- Date
- May 5, 2012, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cambridge, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5551RCessna 172F
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 15, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120505023029A
- Case key
- 83561
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 loss of airplane control during a takeoff in variable crosswind conditions.
Findings · 3
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 completed one takeoff and landing to a full stop on the 2,100-foot-long turf runway to observe the wind and "refresh" himself with the operation of the airplane. Two passengers then boarded the airplane for a local flight. The pilot taxied the airplane back to the runway and prepared to take off using a short-field takeoff technique. The airplane lifted off the runway after a takeoff roll of about 900 feet, and the pilot “crabbed” the airplane slightly right into the crosswind to track along the runway. About 30 feet above the runway, he leveled the airplane to “pick up speed” and tried to track the runway centerline. However, the airplane's nose landing gear impacted the ground and the airplane came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. Witnesses reported to the pilot that the airplane's tail lifted when the wind changed to a quartering tailwind during the takeoff, just before the nose landing gear impacted the ground.
Factual narrative
The pilot completed one full-stop takeoff and landing on the 2,100-foot-long turf runway in order to observe the winds and "refresh" himself with the operation of the airplane. Two passengers then boarded the airplane for a local flight. The pilot taxied the airplane back to the runway and prepared for a short field takeoff technique. The airplane lifted off the runway in about 900 feet, and the pilot crabbed the airplane slightly right towards the crosswind. About 30 feet above the runway, he leveled the airplane and attempted to correct the airplane's lateral position towards the centerline. About that time, the airplane's nose landing gear impacted the ground and the airplane came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. Witnesses reported to the pilot that the airplane's tail lifted as the wind changed to a quartering tailwind during the takeoff, just before the nose landing gear impacted the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5551R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17253138
- Airframe hours
- 4,525
- Engine
- Continental Motors O-300, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cambridge Valley Flying Club Inc
- Registered owner
- Cambridge Valley Flying Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 2011
- Departed
- 1B8 · Cambridge, NY
- Destination
- 1B8 · Cambridge, NY
- Airport
- 1B8 · Chapin Field, runway 25, 2,100 × 63 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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 12, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 177 total · 177 in this make and model · 127 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DDH, 11 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 14, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 MB 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.
Other investigations on N5551R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.