GAA19CA258

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172 · Dexter, MI · May 11, 2019

Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 11, 2019, 17:38 local (22:38 UTC)
Place
Dexter, MI
Injuries
2 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N21794Cessna 172
Defining event
Initial climb: Miscellaneous/other
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 25, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190511024679A
Case key
99417

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The airplane's failure to maintain a climb for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

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.

Not determinedNot determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determinedCessna 172M: 16 casesAll aircraft: 2,247 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: climb rateAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 172M: 3 casesAll aircraft: 265 casesProbable cause

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 he configured the airplane with 10º of flaps during a soft-field takeoff with a takeoff run of about 600 ft. After the initial climb and while the airplane was about 75 knots, he retracted the flaps, trimmed the airplane for normal climb, and verified full engine power. About 100 ft above ground level and about two-thirds down the runway, the airplane started to decelerate to about 65 knots. He stated that he leveled the airplane and did not hear the stall warning horn activate or notice if the engine rpm had decreased or stopped producing power, just that the airplane was losing airspeed and that he had no idea what caused it. The pilot verified that the throttle was full open, the mixture was full rich, the carburetor heat was off, and the elevators were in the neutral position, but the airplane continued to decelerate and rapidly descend. In an attempt to level the airplane, he smoothly pulled the yoke aft, but the airplane did not pitch up. The nosewheel impacted the ground, and the airplane nosed over. The tail cone and both wings sustained substantial damage. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that a postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The airline transport pilot reported that he configured the airplane with 10º of flaps during a soft field takeoff with a takeoff run of about 600 ft. After the initial climb, about 75 knots, he retracted the flaps, trimmed the aircraft for normal climb, and verified full engine power. About 100 ft above the ground and about two-thirds down the runway, the airplane started to decelerate to about 65 knots. He leveled the airplane and did not hear the stall warning horn activate nor recalled if the engine RPMs decreased or if the engine failed producing power. The airplane continued to decelerate and rapidly descended even when the pilot verified that the throttle was full open, the mixture full rich, the carburetor heat off, and the elevators at neutral position. Before impact, in an attempt to level the airplane, he smoothly pulled the yoke aft, but the airplane did not pitch up. The nosewheel impacted the ground and the airplane nosed over. The tailcone and both wings were substantially damaged. A post examination of the airplane by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, engine and airframe continuity were confirmed. The inspector further reported that the s-bend damage to the propeller was consistent with the engine producing power. The inspector added that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N21794
Reported as
Cessna 172 (M)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17264023
Built
1975
Engine
Lycoming O-320 SERIES, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Solo Aviation
Registered owner
Repholz Charles
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
Departed
ARB · Ann Arbor, MI
Destination
2E8 · Dexter, MI
Airport
2E8 · Cackleberry, runway 06, 2,113 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
Pilot
Age
45
Injuries
Serious
Certificates
Private, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
March 5, 2018
Seat
Left
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
4,660 total · 110 in this make and model · 1,976 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
90° at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
8,000 ft broken
Temperature
52 °F, dew point 30 °F
Altimeter
30.04 inHg
Observed at
KARB, 13 nm away

Docket · 5

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 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.