- Date
- March 26, 2000, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sissonville, WV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7879TCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000326019879A
- Case key
- 51269
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 failure to maintain runway alignment during takeoff. A factor in the accident was wind gusts.
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 was executing a takeoff from a 1,100-foot dirt strip for closed traffic when the airplane encountered a gust of wind shortly after becoming airborne. The pilot applied full aileron and rudder, but could not arrest the drift to the left. The airplane struck trees, then slid down a bank, coming to rest approximately 80 feet from the left edge of the runway. The pilot made no mention of any flight control or engine malfunctions. The weather was clear, with an occasional gust of wind when the pilot executed the takeoff. After the accident, the fuel selector was found in the on position, fuel was present, and flight control continuity was verified.
Factual narrative
On March 26, 2000, at 1500 Eastern Standard Time, a Cessna 172, N7879T, was substantially damage when it impacted trees during takeoff from a private airfield in Sissonville, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed, for the personal local flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, he had completed a cross-country flight, and was executing a takeoff from Runway 22, a 1,100-foot dirt strip, for closed traffic when the accident happened. During takeoff, the airplane encountered a gust of wind shortly after becoming airborne. The pilot applied full aileron and rudder, but could not arrest drift. The airplane struck trees to the left of the runway, then slid down a bank, coming to rest approximately 80 feet from the edge of the runway. In addition, the pilot made no mention of any flight control or engine malfunctions. He did state that the weather was clear, with an occasional gust of wind.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, the fuel selector was in the on position, fuel was present, and flight control continuity was verified.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7879T
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 47479
- Airframe hours
- 2,940
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William Tabbert
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 26, 1999 · 42 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · Private, runway 22, 1,100 × 50 ft, dirt
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 121 total · 100 in this make and model · 68 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CRW, 11 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 N7879T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.