- Date
- March 17, 2020, 15:35 local (19:35 UTC)
- Place
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N66046Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200317010219A
- Case key
- 101084
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 failure of the nosewheel steerage linkage during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of directional control and impact with an obstacle during an attempted aborted landing.
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
According to the flight instructor, after a normal preflight inspection and engine run-up, the student pilot taxied to the runway for takeoff and began the takeoff roll. Everything seemed normal as the airplane accelerated; however, as the airplane rotated, it started to yaw left. The instructor attempted to assist the student correct the left yaw by applying right rudder. He was unable to correct the left yaw, so he took over the flight controls and aborted the takeoff. The airplane bounced to the left and impacted a retention pond bank. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane reported that the forward fuselage and firewall were buckled, that the nosewheel steerage linkage was broken, and that rust was noted on the fractured surfaces.
Factual narrative
According to the flight instructor, after a normal pre-flight inspection of the airplane and engine run-up, the student pilot taxied to the runway for takeoff and began the takeoff roll. Everything seemed normal as the airplane accelerated; however, as the airplane rotated it started to yaw abnormally to the left. The flight instructor attempted to overcome the left yaw by pressing on the right rudder to assist the student pilot. He was unable to overcome the left yaw, took over the flight controls and aborted the takeoff. The airplane bounced to the left and collided with the bank of a retention pond.Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the forward fuselage and firewall was buckled. Further examination revealed that the nose gear steering tube rod end failed and rust was noted on the threaded area of the fractured surfaces.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N66046
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9786
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 11,025.8
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 16, 2020 · 84 hours before
- Departed
- LNA · West Palm Beach, FL
- Destination
- LNA · West Palm Beach, FL
- Airport
- LNA · Palm Beach County Park, runway 10, 3,489 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 11, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 318 total · 318 in this make and model · 249 as pilot in command · 81 in the last 90 days · 68 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 55 total · 55 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- KPB, 5 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 24, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.5 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.