- Date
- May 4, 2018, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Glendale, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N99141Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180504007769A
- Case key
- 97181
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 runway alignment during takeoff, which resulted in an aborted takeoff and 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 reported that, during takeoff, the solo student pilot realized he had a crosswind from the right and applied right aileron and right rudder. He added that, as the student rotated the airplane, it drifted left. The student then lost airplane control, pulled the engine power to idle, and aborted the takeoff. Subsequently, during touchdown, the airplane veered hard to the left and exited the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm. The student pilot was departing from runway 1.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, during takeoff, the solo-student pilot realized he had a crosswind from the right and applied right aileron and right rudder. He added, that as the student rotated, the airplane drifted to the left, the student lost control, pulled the engine power to idle, and aborted the takeoff. Subsequently, during touchdown, the airplane veered hard to the left, exited the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm. The student pilot was departing on runway 1.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99141
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (P)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17276409
- Built
- 1985
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SER, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 11, 2018
- Departed
- GEU · Glendale, AZ
- Destination
- GEU · Glendale, AZ
- Airport
- GEU · Glendale Muni, runway 01, 7,150 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 65.9 total · 11.5 as pilot in command · 55.2 in the last 90 days · 19.2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KGEU
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 31, 2018, 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.