Accident Cessna 172P N53512,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 385304
 
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Date:Sunday 22 October 2000
Time:13:44 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic C172 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 172P
Owner/operator:Eagle Aircraft Corporation
Registration: N53512
MSN: 17274772
Total airframe hrs:5640 hours
Engine model:Textron Lyc. O-320-D2J
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Knoxville, TN -   United States of America
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Knoxville, TN (9A2)
Destination airport:Brunswick, GA (KBQK)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot stated that he engaged 10 degrees of flaps, held the brakes and applied full power, but the takeoff roll was extremely bumpy, and the airplane was not accelerating as it should, and the remaining available runway was decreasing. He said there were trees at the end of the runway, but he did not feel that he could have applied the brakes and stop the takeoff roll without running into them, so he continued the takeoff. The pilot further stated that he felt that the airplane's acceleration was being impeded by the cracks on the runway which had grass growing in them, so he decided to transition to a soft field takeoff. He said that initially the climbout was "okay", but the proximity and height of the trees required that he maintain approximately 60 knots, and at that airspeed the aircraft seemed less and less responsive. He said he attempted to lower the pitch to increase the airspeed a couple of times during the climbout, but the aircraft seemed less and less responsive. According to the pilot, the "plane failed to provide the necessary lift in order to continue the climbout, and nose-dived to the ground." A witness stated that he saw the accident aircraft rotate at the midfield point, and it remained in an extreme nose-up attitude during climbout. He said he then saw the aircraft "mush", after which the left wing rose briefly, and the aircraft turned to the left, and descended, impacting the ground. An FAA Inspector, along with representatives from Cessna Aircraft Company, and Textron Lycoming Company, conducted postcrash examinations of the accident aircraft, and no preaccident failures or malfunctions were found with the aircraft structure, the flight control system, or the engine.The inspector further stated that the pilot had elected to take off using an upsloping runway, towards rising terrain, with trees at the end of the runway. The wind velocity was about 4 knots at the time of the accident.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain Vs during takeoff/initial climb, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush, an uncontrolled descent, and an impact with the ground. Factors in the accident were the pilot's improper preflightplanning/preparation and failure to verify takeoff performance prior to executing a takeoff upslope on a rough/uneven runway.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: MIA01LA013
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 7 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB MIA01LA013

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
04-Apr-2024 17:08 ASN Update Bot Added

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