- Date
- July 26, 1992, 15:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2781ECessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920726030829A
- Case key
- 27725
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 improper use of the checklist to assure that the trim tab was in the proper position and failure to follow normal procedures and directives. Contributing to this accident was the pilot's lack of total experience, misreading of the trim setting, and exessive nose down elevator trim tab.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The noncertificated student pilot was departing on a local solo flight. Prior to departure the student pilot improperly used the checklist and failed to determine the trim tab position. On liftoff with the trim tab in the full nose down position the pilot was unable to use the proper elevator control. The student pilot failed to reset the trim after reaching about 20 ft above the ground and elected to abort the takeoff. The student pilot was unable to flare the airplane and landed hard on the remaining runway causing damage to the firewall and nose gear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2781E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-71320
- Airframe hours
- 5,467
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- San Val Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Silk, Brian P.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 12, 1992 · 79 hours before
- Departed
- VNY
- Destination
- VNY
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys, runway 16, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 92 total · 89 in this make and model · 19 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.