Pilot Debrief

Cessna 172 near Winter Haven, FL — 2018-09-24

Final reportERA18LA257
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Date
2018-09-24
Location
Winter Haven, FL, USA
Airport
GIF
Aircraft
Cessna 172
Registration
N6950A
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The student pilot’s improper pitch attitude control during the initial climb, which resulted in a loss of airspeed, and his subsequent decision to conduct a 180° turn following the perceived anomaly, which resulted in a runway overrun.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot was conducting a supervised solo flight in the airport traffic pattern. Each of the previous two takeoff and landings were uneventful. During the initial climb on the third takeoff, the student observed the airspeed rapidly decrease. He declared an emergency, lowered the nose, and turned the airplane 180° to land on the runway. The airplane overran the end of the runway and impacted a fence, resulting in substantial damage to the windshield and left wing. The student’s instructor witnessed the takeoff and stated that the airplane’s angle of attack was excessively high and that there would have been adequate runway remaining for the student to land straight ahead instead of turning 180°. Postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies. It is likely that the student pilot’s excessively nose-high pitch attitude during the takeoff resulted in the observed loss of airspeed.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Student pilot could have aborted the takeoff when power loss was first noticed.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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