- Date
- August 4, 2001, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Statesville, NC
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N96064Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 23, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010804037449A
- Case key
- 52957
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 attempted takeoff with a tail wind and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff resulting in the airplane veering to the left and colliding with trees.
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 pilot stated he was performing a soft field takeoff to the north at Allison Woods Airstrip. The instruments showed everything was in order. At a speed of about 55 knots, the airplane veered to the left. The left wingtip hit the trees and the airplane spun around and came to rest in the trees. The winds at the Statesville Airport, located 5 miles southwest of the accident site, about 12 minutes after the accident, were from 180 degrees at 6 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 4, 2001, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N96064, registered to Statesville Flying Service, collided with trees during takeoff from a private strip near Statesville, North Carolina, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage, and the private-rated pilot and one passenger received minor injuries. The flight originated from Statesville, North Carolina, the same day, about 1500.
The pilot stated he was performing a soft-field takeoff to the north at Allison Woods Airstrip. The instruments showed everything was in order. At a speed of about 55 knots, the airplane veered to the left. He had no control. He thinks the wind caught the airplane from the right. The left wingtip hit the trees and the airplane spun around and came to rest in the trees.
The winds at the Statesville Airport, located 5 miles southwest of the accident site, about 12 minutes after the accident, were from 180 degrees at 6 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N96064
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15286003
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-N2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dennis E. Tomlin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SVH · Statesville, NC
- Airport
- Allison Woods, runway 36, 3,000 × 60 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
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 2, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 112 total · 107 in this make and model · 42 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- SVH, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.