# NTSB ERA17CA114: Cessna 172N, N738DS, Statesville, NC, February 18, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 18, 2017, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC) - Place: Statesville, NC - Coordinates: 35.764999, -80.953887 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7650&lon=-80.9539&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 15, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 94773 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17CA114 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94773/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94773 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17CA114 ## Probable cause A loss of airplane control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/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 in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## 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 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N (N) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17269901 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 10509 - Engines: 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. - Student pilot; age 52; injuries: none; 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 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 27, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94773. 5.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 5.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40458370&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 108 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40458371&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photos (Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 3 photos, 387 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40458372&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.