- Date
- April 11, 2017, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N92873Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170411020989A
- Case key
- 95002
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 delayed attempt to abort the takeoff with a tailwind, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Findings · 4
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 of the float-equipped airplane reported that, before takeoff, the windsock showed "no significant wind" and that the control tower "confirmed using a southerly traffic pattern." He added that, during the takeoff from the waterway, the airplane initially accelerated as expected. He further added that "it became clear that the take-off run was not progressing as anticipated" and that he decided to abort the takeoff. He brought the power to idle and applied back pressure to the control yoke. The airplane slid onto the grass embankment at the end of the runway and came to rest on the adjacent taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Weather observations from the airport showed that, from about 20 minutes before the accident to 60 minutes after the accident, the wind varied in direction from 360° to 050°, and the speed varied from 4 to 11 knots, with a peak wind from 360° at 30 knots. The pilot departed waterway 17W.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that prior to takeoff, the windsock showed "no significant wind" and the control tower "confirmed using a southerly traffic pattern". He added that during the takeoff on the waterway, the airplane initially accelerated as expected. He further added that "it became clear that the take-off run was not progressing as anticipated" and decided to abort the takeoff. He brought the power to idle and applied back pressure to the control yoke. The airplane slid onto the grass embankment at the end of the runway and came to rest on the adjacent taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Weather observations, located on the airport, showed that from about 20 minutes before the accident to 60 minutes after the accident, the wind varied in direction from 360° to 050°, and the speed varied 4 to 11 knots, with a peak wind of 360° at 30 knots. The pilot departed waterway 17W.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N92873
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17261636
- Built
- 1973
- Airframe hours
- 4,518
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 16, 2017
- Departed
- DWH · Houston, TX
- Destination
- DWH · Houston, TX
- Airport
- DWH · David Wayne Hooks Memorial, runway 17W, 2,500 × 80 ft, water
- 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Military
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 17, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,820 total · 6 in this make and model · 1,510 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- KDWH, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 30, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 942 KB 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.