- Date
- May 27, 2012, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gainesville, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N787LFCessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 26, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120527008309A
- Case key
- 83777
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 improper use of the flight controls during the takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s interference with the flight instructor’s attempted remedial actions.
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 flight instructor reported that he was providing instruction to a student who had about 10 hours of flight experience. During the first takeoff roll, the student attempted to steer the airplane with the control yoke instead of the rudder pedals. The flight instructor provided verbal instruction and then attempted to take control of the airplane. The student applied full left rudder, which the flight instructor was unable to counter. The flight instructor was eventually able to reject the takeoff, but the airplane continued to turn to the left, as the student was “frozen on the left rudder.” The instructor could not stop the airplane before it overran the runway and collided with the glideslope antenna. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and horizontal stabilizer. Skid marks confirmed the flight instructor's attempt to stop the airplane and the airplane’s continued turn to the left.
Factual narrative
The certified flight instructor reported that he was providing instruction to a student with about 10 hours of flight experience. During the first takeoff roll, the student attempted to steer the airplane with the control yoke versus the rudder pedals. The flight instructor provided verbal instruction and then attempted to take control of the airplane. The student continued by applying full left rudder, which the flight instructor was unable to counter. The flight instructor was eventually able to take control and the takeoff was rejected. The instructor could not stop the airplane before it overran the runway and collided with the glide slope antenna. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration inspected the wreckage and confirmed substantial damage to the fuselage and horizontal stabilizer. Skid marks confirmed the flight instructor's attempt to stop the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N787LF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S11125
- Airframe hours
- 215
- Engine
- Lycoming IO360 Series, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Lanier Equipment Leasing LLC
- Registered owner
- Lanier Equipment Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 27, 2012 · 71 hours before
- Departed
- GVL · Gainesville, GA
- Destination
- GVL · Gainesville, GA
- Airport
- GVL · Lee Gilmer Memorial, runway 05, 5,500 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,110 total · 200 in this make and model · 1,068 as pilot in command · 83 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9 total · 9 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- GVL
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.4 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 N787LF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.