- Date
- August 1, 2011, 15:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Rawlings, WY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7024VCessna 162
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110801017559A
- Case key
- 81372
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 decision to attempt a takeoff at a density altitude that was outside the performance envelope of the airplane. Also causal was the flight's likely encounter with a sudden tailwind gust.
Findings · 7
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
The pilot reported that prior to takeoff, he noted an approaching storm but estimated that the wind was light and variable for the takeoff roll. The airplane was slow to accelerate and reached the 50 knot rotation speed halfway down the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane lifted off and maintained an altitude a few feet above the runway, but lost altitude at the end. The airplane struck the ground and subsequently nosed over, coming to rest inverted. A few minutes after the accident, the pilot reported that it began to rain. The airport density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated to be approximately 9,000 feet, which is 1,000 feet above the manufacturer's recommended maximum takeoff altitude as outlined in the Pilot's Operating Handbook. The weather observation facility located on the field reported that 3 minutes before the accident the wind was a left quartering tailwind at 5 knots, while shortly after the accident the wind was a left quartering tailwind at 22 knots, gusting to 32 knots with respect to the airplane's takeoff runway direction. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that prior to takeoff, he noted an approaching storm but estimated that the wind was light and variable for the takeoff roll. The airplane was slow to accelerate and reached the 50 knot rotation speed halfway down the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane lifted off and maintained an altitude a few feet above the runway, but lost altitude at the end. The airplane struck the ground and subsequently nosed over, coming to rest inverted. A few minutes after the accident, the pilot reported that it began to rain. The airport density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated to be approximately 9,000 feet, which is 1,000 feet above the manufacturers recommended maximum takeoff altitude as outlined in the Pilot's Operating Handbook. The weather observation facility located on the field reported that 3 minutes before the accident the wind was a left quartering tailwind at 5 knots, while shortly after the accident the wind was a left quartering tailwind at 22 knots, gusting to 32 knots with respect to the airplane's takeoff runway direction. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7024V
- Reported as
- Cessna 162
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 16200066
- Airframe hours
- 85
- Engine
- Continental O-200D, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- The Jerome L. Quint Living Trust
- Registered owner
- The Jerome L. Quint Living Trust
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- AAIP · May 16, 2011 · 79 hours before
- Departed
- KRWL · Rawlings, WY
- Destination
- KEVW · Burns Field, WY
- Airport
- KRWL · Rawlins Muni/Harvey Field, runway 10L, 4,118 × 60 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
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 22, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,994 total · 76 in this make and model · 80 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 22 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- KRWL
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 1, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 792 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.