ERA17CA114

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172N · Statesville, NC · February 18, 2017

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
February 18, 2017, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
Place
Statesville, NC
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N738DSCessna 172N
Defining event
Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 15, 2017
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
Case key
94773

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

A loss of airplane control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

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.

Not determinedNot determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determinedAll aircraft: 2,247 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parametersAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedAll aircraft: 1,269 casesProbable cause

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 was on the second leg of a solo cross-county training flight. During the landing flare at the destination airport, he landed the airplane "hard," and it bounced twice before he was able to regain control. He taxied back to the beginning of the runway and conducted a run-up. Noting no anomalies, he taxied onto the runway and started the takeoff roll. During the takeoff, he pulled back on the yoke "too far," and the airplane climbed between 30 and 40 ft before entering an aerodynamic stall and colliding with the ground. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the propeller struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. It could not be determined whether the airplane incurred damage during the hard landing that would have impacted the pilot's ability to maintain pitch control during the subsequent takeoff; therefore, the reason for the loss of control could not be determined.

Factual narrative

The student pilot was on the second leg of a solo cross county training flight. During the flare at the destination airport, he landed the airplane "hard" and it bounced twice before he was able to regained control. He taxied back to the beginning of the runway and conducted a run-up. Noting no anomalies, he taxied onto the runway and started the takeoff roll. During the takeoff, he pulled back on the yoke "too far" and the airplane climbed between 30 and 40 feet before entering an aerodynamic stall and colliding with the ground. The nose gear collapsed and the propeller struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane before the landing. It could not be determined whether the airplane incurred damage during the hard landing that would have impacted the pilot's ability to maintain pitch control during takeoff.

Aircraft

Registration
N738DS
Reported as
Cessna 172N (N)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17269901
Built
1977
Airframe hours
10,509
Engine
Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · January 19, 2017
Departed
SVH · Statesville, NC
Destination
SVH · Statesville, NC
Airport
SVH · Statesville Rgnl, runway 28, 7,003 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Unknown

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Student pilot
Age
52
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
53 total · 44 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
200° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
68 °F, dew point 34 °F
Altimeter
29.88 inHg
Observed at
SVH

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 27, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.6 MB in all.