- Date
- September 16, 2016, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Venice, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N145ATAirtime Cygnet
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 6, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160916015669A
- Case key
- 94056
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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a runway excursion.
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
The flight instructor in the amphibious float-equipped, weight-shift aircraft reported that the accident flight was the third flight with the student pilot, and the student pilot's first flight in the front seat. He further reported that during the takeoff roll they "began to [lose] the center line to the left and then to the right." He reported that in this particular aircraft, to turn to the right you push the left pedal and to turn to the left you push the right pedal. He instructed the student pilot to release the throttle. He then attempted to "take the controls back and keep the [aircraft] on the runway", but was unsuccessful. The aircraft veered off the runway to the right, the right float impacted grass, and the aircraft spun 180 degrees. The student pilot reported that he told the flight instructor that he would "follow along with him on the controls during the takeoff to feel how he was moving them". He further reported that when the aircraft veered off the runway to the right, he "took [his] hands off the controls" to allow the flight instructor to correct for the veer. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right lift strut. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor in the amphibious float-equipped, weight-shift aircraft reported that the accident flight was the third flight with the student pilot, and the student pilot's first flight in the front seat. He further reported that during the takeoff roll they "began to [lose] the center line to the left and then to the right." He reported that in this particular aircraft, to turn to the right you push the left pedal and to turn to the left you push the right pedal. He instructed the student pilot to release the throttle. He then attempted to "take the controls back and keep the [aircraft] on the runway", but was unsuccessful. The aircraft veered off the runway to the right, the right float impacted grass, and the aircraft spun 180 degrees. The student pilot reported that he told the flight instructor that he would "follow along with him on the controls during the takeoff to feel how he was moving them". He further reported that the aircraft veered off the runway to the right, he "took [his] hands off the controls" to allow the flight instructor to correct for the veer. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right lift strut. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N145AT
- Reported as
- Airtime Cygnet (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0101
- Built
- 2015
- Airframe hours
- 200
- Engine
- Rotax 912 ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 13, 2016
- Departed
- VNC · Venice, FL
- Destination
- VNC · Venice, FL
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- VNC · Venice Muni, runway 23, 5,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 2.5 in this make and model
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Sport Pilot, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Unknown
- Last flight review
- November 21, 2015
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 402 total · 356 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KVNC
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 3, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.