- Date
- December 27, 2018, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sugar Land, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N17SJCessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181227021919A
- Case key
- 98924
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 takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a sign.
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 solo student pilot reported that, while taking off for a stop-and-go landing, he applied full power, and the airplane drifted left. He corrected with right rudder, but the airplane continued left. He reduced power to idle to abort the takeoff, but the airplane "continued out of control to the left." He applied brakes and opposite rudder, but the airplane exited the runway to the left and struck an airport sign, the left main landing gear separated, and the airplane came to rest about 200 ft past the sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during the takeoff of a stop and go landing, he applied full power and the airplane drifted left. He corrected with right rudder, but the airplane continued left. He reduced power to idle to abort the takeoff, but the airplane "continued out of control to the left." He applied brakes and opposite rudder, but the airplane exited the runway to the left, struck an airport sign, the left main landing gear separated, and the airplane came to rest about 200 ft past the sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 310° at 6 knots. The student landed the airplane on runway 35.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N17SJ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8344
- Built
- 1999
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360SER, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Anson Air Llc
- Registered owner
- Anson Air Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SGR · Sugar Land, TX
- Destination
- SGR · Sugar Land, TX
- Airport
- SGR · Sugar Land Rgnl, runway 35, 8,000 × 100 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 98 total · 98 in this make and model · 17.2 as pilot in command · 13.3 in the last 90 days · 9.1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.75 inHg
- Observed at
- KSGR
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 14, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.