MIA99LA076

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 152 · Sanford, NC · February 8, 1999

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 8, 1999, 15:20 local (20:20 UTC)
Place
Sanford, NC
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N6294MCessna 152
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 18, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19990208014179A
Case key
45723

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 student pilots failure to maintain directional control during an attempted touch and go landing. This resulted in the airplane veering off the left side of the runway, and subsequent on-ground collision with a ditch and nosed over inverted..

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
Touch-and-go - attemptedPilot in command
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterStanding - starting engine(s)
Terrain condition - ditch
Nose overTakeoff

Analysis

The student pilot was attempting a touch and go landing and failed to maintain directional control after applying full power. The airplane veered to the left off the side of the runway into the grass, crossed a taxiway, went into the grass, collided with a ditch, and nosed over inverted.

Factual narrative

On February 8, 1999, about 1520 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N6294M, registered to Sanford Aircraft Services Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed during a go-around at the Sanford-Lee County Brick Field (Regional) Airport, Sanford, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The student pilot stated she conducted a preflight inspection of the airplane before departing on the flight, and noted no deficiencies with the airframe, flight controls, or during the engine run-up. She departed and remained in left closed traffic, and conducted about three to four touch-and-go landings before the accident occurred. She had just landed on runway 03 and initiated another touch-and-go by raising the flaps, pushing the carburetor heat in, and advancing the throttle to the full open position. The airplane started to veer to the left, and she applied right rudder. The airplane continued to veer to the left, and she applied full right rudder with no response. The airplane went off the left side of the runway into the grass, down and up a dip before she pulled the power off. The airplane crossed a taxiway and she applied brakes and aft pressure on the control yoke. The airplane continued off the left side of the taxiway, collided with a ditch, and nosed over inverted.

Examination of the aircraft by the FAA revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction.

Aircraft

Registration
N6294M
Reported as
Cessna 152
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15284657
Airframe hours
4,500
Engine
Lycoming O-235-N2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Sanford Aircraft Services Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
W77
Airport
W77 · Sanford Lee County, runway 3, 4,300 × 150 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--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
18 total · 18 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
360° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
45 °F, dew point 36 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
FAY

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.