- Date
- October 19, 1996, 10:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fruitland Park, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5155ECessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961019033139A
- Case key
- 38170
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain proper runway alignment during takeoff. The unfavorable wind condition was a related factor.
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 that he initiated a takeoff to the west on a private grass airstrip with a wind from 350 degrees. Just after becoming airborne, the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The pilot applied aileron input, but the airplane veered off the runway and collided with fence posts.
Factual narrative
On October 19, 1996, about 1015 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N5155E, registered to Airparks Aviation, Inc., experienced a loss of control on takeoff from a private airstrip named the Flying Palomino Ranch, Fruitland Park, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the flight to the Leesburg Municipal Airport. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll on runway 27 with the wind from 350 degrees, a gust of wind occurred. He applied aileron input but the airplane veered off the runway and collided with fence posts. A weather observation taken at 1026 local, from the Leesburg Airport located about 7 nautical miles southeast of the airstrip indicated that the wind was from 290 degrees at 13 knots. The observation also indicated that the wind was variable from 270 degrees to 350 degrees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5155E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271741
- Airframe hours
- 3,194
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Orlando
- Registered owner
- Airparks Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 7, 1996 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- 5X1
- Destination
- LEE · Leesburg, FL
- Airport
- 5X1 · Flying Palomino Ranch, runway 27, 2,500 × 100 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
- 17
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 92 total · 20 in this make and model · 17 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LEE, 7 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 N5155E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.