- Date
- July 18, 2015, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fairfield, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5453VCessna R172K
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Greensboro FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20150718010569A
- Case key
- 91602
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 the takeoff roll, 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 pilot reported that he added power for takeoff and the airplane started to veer to the left. He stated that he attempted to correct with right rudder and brake, but the airplane departed the paved portion of the runway and the left wing impacted corn rows parallel to the runway. After impacting the corn rows, the pilot reported that the airplane spun around 180 degrees and came to rest in a drainage ditch. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he added power for takeoff and the airplane started to veer to the left. He stated that he attempted to correct with right rudder and brake, but the airplane departed the paved portion of the runway and the left wing impacted corn rows parallel to the runway. After impacting the corn rows, the pilot reported that the airplane spun around 180 degrees and came to rest in a drainage ditch. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5453V
- Reported as
- Cessna R172K (K)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- R1722299
- Built
- 1977
- Airframe hours
- 2,898.1
- Engine
- Continental IO-360, 195 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Tim Whitfield Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Tim Whitfield Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 11, 2014
- Departed
- 23NR · Fairfield, NC
- Destination
- ONX · Currituck, NC
- Airport
- 23NR · Whitfield'S East, runway 26, 3,300 × 23 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 29, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,728 total · 1.2 in this make and model · 3,180 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KEDE, 32 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 9, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.