MIA02LA158

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172N · Tarboro, NC · August 25, 2002

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 25, 2002, 10:05 local (14:05 UTC)
Place
Tarboro, NC
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N2291ECessna 172N
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 6, 2002
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20020825026429A
Case key
55594

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The failure of the solo student to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll/run which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway and impacting trees, incurring substantial damage.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterTakeoff - roll/run
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectTakeoff - roll/run
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

The student stated that he was performing a short cross-country flight, and during his approach to land he felt that he was a little too high, so he elected to perform a go-around. He said he then made two subsequent approaches to land and performed go-arounds each time because he felt that he was too high, and on his final attempt he was lower, and landed the airplane about 1/3 of the distance down the runway from the approach end. He said that during the landing rollout he then turned the carburetor heat off, but forgot to raise the flaps, and after applying full power to take off, the airplane veered sharply to the left, exiting the runway and subsequently impacted trees incurring damage. Prior to the accident, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the airplane or any of its systems.

Factual narrative

On August 25, 2002, about 1005, eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N2291E, registered to Aviation Consultants and Sales Inc., and operated by Wayne Aviation, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, veered off the runway during takeoff at Tarboro, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The student-rated pilot was not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Greensboro, North Carolina, the same day, about 0925.

The student stated that he was performing a short cross-country training flight, and during his approach to land he felt that he was a little too high, so he elected to perform a go-around. He said he then made two subsequent approaches to land and performed go-arounds each time because he felt that he was too high, and on his final attempt he was lower, and landed the airplane about 1/3 of the distance down the runway from the approach end. He said that during the landing rollout he then turned the carburetor heat off, but forgot to raise the flaps, and after applying full power to take off, the airplane veered sharply to the left, exiting the runway on to the grass. He said he attempted to use rudder control input to guide the airplane back on to the runway, but it responded slowly, and the airplane impacted some small trees, entered a small ditch, and flipped over incurring damage to the wings. Prior to the accident, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the airplane or any of its systems.

Aircraft

Registration
N2291E
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17271224
Airframe hours
4,277
Engine
Textron Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Wayne Aviation Inc.
Registered owner
Aviation Consultants and Sales Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · August 13, 2002 · 38 hours before
Departed
GWW · Greensboro, NC
Destination
ETC · Tarboro, NC
Airport
ETC · Tarboro-Edgecombe, runway 09, 4,000 × 50 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
36
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
22 total · 22 in this make and model · 22 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
0° at 0 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 75 °F
Altimeter
30.11 inHg
Observed at
RWI, 15 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.

Other investigations on N2291E · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.