# NTSB MIA03LA008: Cessna 172N, N267EP, Sebring, FL, October 25, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 25, 2002, 13:45 local (17:45 UTC) - Place: Sebring, FL - Coordinates: 27.460556, -81.348335 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4606&lon=-81.3483&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55944 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA03LA008 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55944/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA008 ## Probable cause The student pilot's premature rotation and failure to maintain airspeed during the takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, an uncontrolled descent, and an impact with the ground. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - rotation - premature, pilot in command - airspeed(vso) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis Witnesses stated that during the takeoff on runway 36, the airplane yawed to the left, and they observed what appeared to them to be a premature, nose high rotation. They said the nose rose high in the air and the airplane climbed to about 50 or 60 feet, and then the nose of the airplane abruptly fell, while simultaneously turning to the left. The airplane initially hit the ground with the left wing, followed by the propeller/nose and then the right wing in a sort of a cartwheel motion. It came to rest positioned with the tail up, on its main wheels facing south. An FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated that post crash examination of the airplane revealed that the elevator trim had been set to a "nose-down" position, and the flaps were extended about 10 degrees. The inspector noted no anomalies with the accident airplane. ## Factual narrative On October 25, 2002, about 1345 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N267EP, registered to Rexair Sales and Leasing, LLC., and operated by International Flight Training Academy as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed while attempting to takeoff at Sebring Regional Airport, Sebring, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage, and the student pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot was conducting her second cross-country flight, and she had flown the airplane from Naples, Florida, to Sebring, and had performed two or three touch-and-go landings and a full-stop landing at Sebring. She then parked the airplane at the fixed-based operator's ramp, took a rest break, and had the airplane's fuel tanks topped-off for the return trip to Naples, Florida. Witnesses stated that the winds were light, and as they observed N267EP during the takeoff on runway 36, it yawed to the left, and they observed what appeared to them to be a premature, nose high rotation. They said the nose rose high in the air and the airplane climbed to about 50 or 60 feet, and then the nose of the airplane abruptly fell, while simultaneously turning to the left. The airplane initially hit the ground with the left wing, followed by the propeller/nose and then the right wing in a sort of a cartwheel motion. It came to rest positioned with the tail up, on its main wheels facing south. One of the witnesses who was taxiing an airplane to take off on the same runway at the time of the accident said that the maneuver looked like a hammerhead stall. Another witness, who is also a flight instructor, and who was one of the first individuals that responded to the accident scene to assist the accident pilot, stated that it looked to him as if more than 10 degrees of flaps were set on the airplane. An FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated that postcrash examination of N267EP revealed that the elevator trim had been set to a "nose-down" position, and the flaps were extended about 10 degrees. The inspector noted no anomalies with the accident airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N267EP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N267EP-2004-02-05), registration cancelled 2004-02-05, S/N 17270560, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17270560 - Airframe hours: 11956 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Rexair Sales and Leasing, LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 17, 2002, 12 hours before - Departed: SEF, Sebring, FL - Destination: APF, Naples, FL - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: SEF, Sebring Regional, runway 36, 5,190 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 70; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 139 total, 135 in this make and model, 13 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: MCO, 65 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20021025036199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021025036199A), Oct 25, 2002: Cessna 172N, Sebring, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On October 25, 2002, between 1330 and 1345 EDT, a Cessna 172N, N267EP, crashed during takeoff from Sebring Regional Airport. The airplane received… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.