- Date
- November 27, 2020, 13:05 local (18:05 UTC)
- Place
- Sanford, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N53587Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20201127014779A
- Case key
- 102351
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 directional control during takeoff in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain.
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.
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 reported that prior to takeoff, he was aware of a left crosswind of about 5 knots and compensated by applying extra left aileron. During the takeoff roll about 45 to 50 knots, the airplane started to veer to the left. The pilot stated that the airplane, “felt like it had lifted off the ground” in a gradual left roll and he was unable to correct with right aileron or sufficient rudder. Once the airplane departed the runway, he reduced the power and applied the brakes, but the airplane skidded down an embankment and collided with a hill. The impact separated the engine from the mounts and the nose landing gear was sheared off which caused substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that he likely had more left aileron than was necessary for the crosswind at the beginning of the takeoff roll, and he did not reduce the control application as the airspeed increased. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53587
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9407
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 6,877
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chapel Hill Flying Club, Inc, doing business as Wings of Carolina Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Chapel Hill Flying Club, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 31, 2020 · 19 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- TTA · Raleigh Executive Jetport at Sanford-Lee County Airport, runway 21, 6,501 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 73.9 total · 72.9 in this make and model · 19.9 as pilot in command · 39.3 in the last 90 days · 22.3 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- TTA
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.7 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.