- Date
- October 7, 2009, 14:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Renton, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N54088Cessna 172P
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Seattle FSDO
- FAA report
- 20091007018229A
- Case key
- 74871
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 failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during the takeoff portion of a touch-and-go landing resulting in a collision with a sign.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
At the initiation of the takeoff roll, following a touch-and-go landing, the student pilot added full power, but before she could rotate for takeoff, she had "… a hard time controlling the airplane on the ground." She aborted the takeoff, but was unable to keep the airplane from departing the side of the runway, where it impacted a distance remaining sign. An inspection of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies with the nose wheel steering or rudder systems.
Factual narrative
At the initiation of the takeoff roll, following a touch-and-go landing, the student pilot added full power, but before she could rotate for takeoff, she experienced "… a hard time controlling the airplane on the ground." She therefore aborted her takeoff, but was unable to keep the airplane from departing the side of the runway, where it impacted a distance remaining sign. As a result of the collision, one of the main landing gear separated. An inspection of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies with the nose wheel steering or rudder systems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N54088
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274871
- Airframe hours
- 16,644
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Boeing Employees Flying Assoc Inc
- Registered owner
- Boeing Employees Flying Assoc Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 12, 2008
- Departed
- KRNT · Renton, WA
- Destination
- KRNT · Renton, WA
- Airport
- KRNT · Renton Municipal, runway 34, 5,382 × 200 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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 103 total · 103 in this make and model · 32 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 23, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 599 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.