- Date
- October 25, 1998, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Olive Branch, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5139BCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981025034079A
- Case key
- 45137
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 directional control on takeoff, resulting in the airplane's excursion off the runway and collision with trees.
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 stated that during the takeoff roll, the airplane drifted left of the runway centerline and the application of right rudder would not correct the drift. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, and collided with trees and a ditch. Postcrash examination of the airplane revealed no discrepancies in the flight control, steering, or braking systems.
Factual narrative
On October 25, 1998, about 1400 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N5139B, registered to Douglas Aviation Inc, and operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed on takeoff from runway 18 at Olive Branch Airport, Olive Branch, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student-rated pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that he applied full power to start his takeoff roll and as he approached 40 to 45 knots, indicated airspeed, the airplane started to buffet, would not respond to right rudder, and veered off the left side of the runway. The pilot stated he applied brakes and pulled the throttle back, but braking was not effective in the grass, and the airplane started to become airborne. The left drift continued until collision with adjacent trees and a ditch. At some point during the runway excursion, the throttle was "bumped" forward, and had to be pulled off when the airplane came to rest. The pilot stated he did have enough directional control to steer the airplane between trees to avoid a head-on collision. He stated that this was his third solo flight, and noted no aircraft discrepancies during his preflight inspection, taxi, or pretakeoff checks. The pilot reported the surface winds at the time of his takeoff were calm.
FAA inspectors examined the aircraft and runway. They stated the distance from brake release to the runway excursion was about 800 feet. The distance from runway departure to the tree impact point was about 600 feet. Examination of the airplane revealed no malfunctions of the flight controls, the throttle control, the nosewheel steering or the braking systems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5139B
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283771
- Airframe hours
- 2,784
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Douglas Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 8, 1998 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- OLV · MS
- Airport
- OLV · Olive Branch, runway 18, 6,000 × 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
- 22
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 22 total · 22 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 12 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 N5139B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.