- Date
- August 4, 2019, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bayse, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N424BCCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190804015679A
- Case key
- 100005
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 exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
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
The pilot reported that, during the initial climb, once the airplane was above the tree line, he felt as though it encountered "a strong quartering tailwind." The stall warning horn sounded, and the airplane began to descend to the left. He was able to lower the airplane's nose, and the airplane touched down in the grass area that outlined the left side of the runway surface and then bounced. He cut the engine's power, and the airplane touched down again on the nosewheel and the left main landing gear. The pilot applied right rudder, and he was able to steer the airplane onto the runway and stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during takeoff initial climb, once above the tree line, he felt as though the airplane encountered, "a strong quartering tailwind." The stall warning horn sounded, and the airplane began to descend to the left. He was able to put the airplane's nose down, and the airplane touched down in the grass area that outlined the left side of the runway surface and bounced. He cut the engine's power and the airplane touched down again in the grass area on the left side of the runway and "went onto the nose-wheel and the left main. The pilot applied right rudder and he was able to steer the airplane back onto the runway and stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that about the time of the accident, the wind at the accident site was calm. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N424BC
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17252171
- Built
- 1964
- Airframe hours
- 6,191.6
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pikeside Flying Club Inc
- Registered owner
- Pikeside Flying Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 7, 2019
- Departed
- VG18 · Bayse, VA
- Destination
- MRB · Martinsburg, WV
- Airport
- VG18 · Sky Bryce, runway 23, 2,240 × 50 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 10, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 181 total · 181 in this make and model · 94 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Observed at
- KW99, 21 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.