- Date
- January 22, 1997, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Daytona Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N121ERSocata TB-9
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970122000759A
- Case key
- 38209
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 student pilot's failure to maintain direction control of the airplane during takeoff. The crosswind was a 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
On takeoff from runway 25L the airplane departed the left side of the runway, and collided with a runway marker sign. The pilot stated that he added full power, and as power was added the airplane started turning to the left. He said he slowly applied right rudder to correct for the 'left pulling force.' As he gained airspeed, the 'left force' was 'increasing.' The wind was coming from his 'left...south,' but he did not know the speed. He than applied right rudder, but he could not get the airplane to go straight and maintain runway centerline. The airplane countinued to the left, and the pilot elected to abort the takeoff. He stated, '...I was traveling at about 40-45 knots when [I] applied brake pressure. I felt the right side of the aircraft, what felt like lift off the ground. I feared I would flip the plane.' When he released the brakes, the airplane departed the hard surface of the runway onto the grass, and struck a runway sign before stopping. This was the student pilot's first solo flight, and he had no experience with crosswind takeoff procedure. Local weather at the time of the accident, reported that the wind was from 160 degrees, at 9 knots, with wind gusts to 17 knots
Factual narrative
On January 22, 1997, about 1036 eastern standard time, a Socata TB-9, N121ER, registered to Embry-Riddle University was substantially damaged during takeoff, near Daytona Beach, Florida. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed in the vicinity, and no flight plan had been filed. The local training flight was being conducted in accordance with Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that he checked his PQ (pilot qualification) code established by the University, and the code was 221. Code 221 required a maximum crosswind of 6 to 10 knots. After doing a run up he received clearance for takeoff and taxied onto runway 25L.
As the pilot added full power, the airplane started turning to the left. He slowly applied right rudder to correct for the "left pulling force." As he gained airspeed, the "left force" was "increasing." The wind was coming from his "left...south," but he did not know the speed. He than applied right rudder, but he could not get the airplane to go straight and maintain runway centerline. The airplane countinued to veer left, and the pilot elected to abort the takeoff. He stated, "...I was traveling at about 40-45 knots when [I] applied brake pressure. I felt the right side of the aircraft, what felt like lift off the ground. I feared I would flip the plane." When he released the brakes, the airplane departed the hard surface of the runway onto the grass, and struck a runway sign before stopping.
According to the FAA inspector's report, this was the student pilot's first solo flight from Dayton Beach Airport, and he had "no experience with crosswind takeoff procedure."
Local weather at the time of the accident, reported that the wind was from 160 degrees, at 9 knots, with wind gusts to 17 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N121ER
- Reported as
- Socata TB-9
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1510
- Airframe hours
- 4,281
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Embry-Riddle University
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 14, 1996 · 61 hours before
- Departed
- DAB
- Airport
- KDAB · Daytona Beach Intl, runway 25L, 3,197 × 100 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 19
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 27 total · 27 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.