- Date
- August 30, 2015, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- New Enterprise, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8404XCessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 5, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Pittsburgh FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20150830018959A
- Case key
- 91896
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 exceedance of the critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall 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 after a "normal" landing, he performed a 180 degree turn at the end of the grass airstrip and started his takeoff roll. After accelerating to 65 miles per hour, he reported that the airplane became airborne at the crest of an incline, but about 20 feet above the ground the airplane began to "quickly lose airspeed." The stall warning horn sounded, the left wing dropped, and the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall. Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain and collided with a fence at the end of the grass airstrip. The fuselage and both wings 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 after a "normal" landing, he performed a 180 degree turn at the end of the grass airstrip and started his takeoff roll. After accelerating to 65 miles per hour, he reported that the airplane became airborne at the crest of an incline, but about 20 feet above the ground the airplane began to "quickly lose airspeed." The stall warning horn sounded, the left wing dropped, and the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall. Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain and collided with a fence at the end of the grass airstrip. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8404X
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17248904
- Built
- 1961
- Airframe hours
- 2,284.9
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Housel LLC
- Registered owner
- Housel LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 14, 2014
- Departed
- 7G4 · Newry, PA
- Destination
- None · New Enterprise, PA
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
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 24, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 498 total · 104 in this make and model · 352 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KAOO, 12 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 28, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.
Other investigations on N8404X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.