- Date
- April 29, 2007, 12:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place
- Astoria, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1911VCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070429005899A
- Case key
- 65661
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 adequately correct for changing wind conditions, leading to a loss of directional control during the takeoff ground roll. Factors include wet, soft terrain along the side of the runway.
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
During the takeoff roll in a 30 degree crosswind of about 12 knots, the aircraft passed on the leeward side of a number of hangars of varying size. As the aircraft passed through the area where the wind was blocked by the individual hangars into areas where the wind was not blocked, the student pilot failed to adequately compensate for the resultant change in wind velocity and direction. As the student pilot continued the takeoff, the aircraft departed the side of the runway, impacted a taxiway exit sign, and entered into an area of wet, soft ground. The student pilot then pulled the power to idle and applied "full brakes." The nose gear then dug into the terrain and ultimately collapsed. There were no anomalies found in the rudder or nose wheel steering systems.
Factual narrative
During the takeoff roll in a 30 degree crosswind of about 12 knots, the aircraft passed on the leeward side of a number of hangars of varying size. As the aircraft passed through the area where the wind was blocked by the individual hangars into areas where the wind was not blocked, the student pilot failed to adequately compensate for the resultant change in wind velocity and direction. As the student pilot continued the takeoff, the aircraft departed the side of the runway, impacted a taxiway exit sign, and entered into an area of wet, soft ground. The student pilot then pulled the power to idle and applied "full brakes." The nose gear then dug into the terrain and ultimately collapsed. There were no anomalies found in the rudder or nose wheel steering systems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1911V
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17263791
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2G, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Gorge Winds Aviation, Inc., doing business as Gorge Winds Aviation
- Registered owner
- Byron D. Edmonds
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 2007
- Departed
- KAST · Astoria, OR
- Destination
- KKLS · Kelso, WA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KAST · Astoria Regional, runway 31, 4,990 × 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 55
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 67 total · 65 in this make and model · 11 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KAST
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.