- Date
- July 19, 2019, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Denver, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N403FRCessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190719012179A
- Case key
- 99887
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 lateral control during a soft-field takeoff, which resulted in the left wing striking the runway and a runway excursion.
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.
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
During a private pilot checkride, the student pilot was asked to perform a soft-field takeoff. The student reported that, during the takeoff, he applied back pressure and anticipated that the airplane would become airborne. He added that he never felt the airplane "come up," so he applied more back pressure. He reported that the airplane then "popped up," banked left, and struck the runway. The airplane exited the runway to the left into grass, and the nose and right landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
During a private pilot check ride the student was asked to make a soft field takeoff. The student pilot reported that, during a soft field takeoff, he applied back pressure and anticipated that the airplane would become airborne. He never felt the airplane "come up" and he applied more back pressure. The airplane "popped up," banked to the left, and struck the runway. The airplane exited the runway to the left into the grass and the nose and right landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N403FR
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (R)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17280245
- Built
- 1997
- Airframe hours
- 10,702
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 3, 2019
- Departed
- APA · Denver, CO
- Destination
- HYS · Hays, KS
- Airport
- APA · Centennial, runway 17L, 10,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 68 total · 68 in this make and model · 10 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KAPA, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 3, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.