- Date
- December 18, 1999, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hickory, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N95775Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 2, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991218040269A
- Case key
- 48371
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 certified flight instructor (CFI) failure to maintain directional control on rough terrain on takeoff. This resulted in the airplane veering to the left, colliding with bushes after the airplane became airborne, and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the CFI's improper decision to conduct training from an unfamiliar airport.
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 certified flight instructor (CFI) was demonstrating a soft field takeoff to a student pilot from an unfamiliar airport, which he had not conducted training from in the past. On takeoff roll the airplane collided with a bump and the airplane veered to the left. The CFI decided there was insufficient runway remaining to abort the takeoff. The airplane became airborne, the left wing collided with bushes, the CFI decreased power, the airplane rotated to the left, and collided with terrain.
Factual narrative
On December 18, 1999, at about 1700 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N95775, registered to Profile Aviation Center Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, collided with bushes on initial takeoff climb from Wilson's Airport, Hickory, North Carolina (E40), and crashed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial-rated pilot flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The CFI stated this was his first flight into the airport. He was demonstrating a soft field landing and takeoff for the student pilot. The runway is a north-south grass runway. The runway is 2,200 feet long, has an up-slope to the north, and is canted (slopes) to the left. After landing, he made a 180-degree turn , back taxied down the runway, and prepared the airplane for the demonstrated soft field takeoff. He initiated the takeoff roll to the north, the airplane veered to the left due to the rough terrain, and was bouncing. The airspeed was between 45 to 50. He decided their was insufficient runway remaining in order to abort the takeoff. He continued the takeoff and became airborne about 1,500 feet down the runway. The left wing hit some bushes, he pulled the power off, the airplane rotated to the left collided with the terrain, and came to rest 270 degrees from his initial takeoff heading. When asked why the airplane veered to the left, the CFI stated he failed to maintain directional control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95775
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285966
- Airframe hours
- 6,363
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-N2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Profile Aviation Center Inc.
- Registered owner
- Mark E. Fant
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 16, 1999 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- E40 · NC
- Airport
- E40 · Wilson Airport, runway 35, 2,200 × 85 ft, grass/turf
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
- 25
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 456 total · 150 in this make and model · 367 as pilot in command · 59 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GSO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.