- Date
- June 22, 2002, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marietta, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N739PFCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 16, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20020622015249A
- Case key
- 55023
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 failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in the airplane departing the left side of the runway, impacting with a gully and nosing over.
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 student pilot said he was practicing touch-and-go landings, and after landing he added "full power" to the airplane's engine. The airplane's nose veered left, he attempted to control the airplane with right rudder, brakes, and retarded the throttle, before the airplane departed the left side of the runway. After the airplane departed the runway it entered the grassy area along side of the runway, struck a gully, and nosed over. No mechanical discrepancies were reported or found with the airframe or engine.
Factual narrative
On June 22, 2002, about 0930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N739PF, registered to and operated by Atlanta Northside Aviation Inc., nosed over during landing, at the Cobb County/McCollum Field Airport, Marietta, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 training flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The student pilot reported no injuries. The flight had originated from the same airport, at 0920.
The student pilot said he was on a solo flight practicing touch-and-go landings. After landing on runway 9, he initiated the takeoff sequence by retracting the flaps, and shutting off the carburetor heat. He then added "full power" to the airplane's engine. The airplane's nose "veered left," he applied right rudder to correct, but the airplane "kept moving left." The student pilot said he applied brakes in an attempt to control the airplane, and "pulled the throttle back," before the airplane departed the "left" side of the runway. After the airplane departed the runway it entered the grassy area along side of the runway, struck a gully, and nosed over. No mechanical discrepancies were reported or found with the airframe or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N739PF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270691
- Airframe hours
- 6,367.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Atlantic Northside Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 1, 2002 · 94.5 hours before
- Departed
- RYY · Marietta, GA
- Airport
- RYY · McCollum Field, runway 9, 5,355 × 75 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 23 total · 22 in this make and model · 21 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 8 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- KRYY
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 289 KB 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.
Other investigations on N739PF · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.