- Date
- March 6, 2001, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clovis, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5175FCessna 172F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20010306004549A
- Case key
- 51918
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 failure to maintain directional control during take off roll resulting in a ground loop. A contributing factor was the crosswind.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During take off roll, the airplane started to drift to the left and rolled off of the runway surface. The pilot stated that there was "a little crosswind", so he applied "a little right rudder" and lowered the left wing. The aircraft veered back to the right, nosed over and the right wing tip struck the ground. The runway used was 30. The reported winds were from 230 degrees at 13 knots.
Factual narrative
On March 6, 2001, at 1630 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172F airplane, N5175F, owned by United Aero Inc., of Clovis, New Mexico, and operated by Eastern New Mexico Flight Academy of Clovis, New Mexico, was substantially damaged after a loss of control during take off from runway 30 at the Clovis Municipal Airport, Clovis, New Mexico. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
During a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that, during take off roll, the airplane started to drift to the left and rolled off of the runway surface. He stated that there was "a little crosswind", so he applied "a little right rudder" and lowered the "left wing." The aircraft veered back to the right, nosed over, and the right wing tip struck the ground.
Examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector revealed that the fuselage was twisted, and the right wing was wrinkled.
Reported winds at Clovis at 1655 were from 230 degrees at 13 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5175F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17253088
- Engine
- Lycoming O-300-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Eastern New Mexico Flight Academy
- Registered owner
- United Aero Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CVN · Clovis, NM
- Destination
- CVN
- Airport
- CVN · Clovis Municipal Airport, runway 30, 5,294 × 150 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 80 total · 1 in this make and model · 49 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- CVN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.