Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172 near Diamondhead, MS — 2018-06-22

Final reportERA18FA174
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Date
2018-06-22
Location
Diamondhead, MS, USA
Airport
66Y
Aircraft
CESSNA 172
Registration
N7239Q
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to retract the flaps following landing and the stall/mush that resulted during the subsequent full-flap takeoff and initial climb.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot obtained his first solo endorsement 10 days before the accident after he had accrued about 165 hours of flight experience. On the day of the accident, he was performing solo traffic pattern work, which included full-stop landings and then taxiing back for each subsequent takeoff. However, interpolation of radar data and the timing of the call to report the accident indicated that the pilot had performed a touch-and-go landing before the accident takeoff and flight. A witness described the airplane at a low altitude and airspeed as it crossed, at treetop height, an interstate highway immediately beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane then disappeared below the trees. Examination of the wreckage site and the airplane wreckage revealed evidence consistent with engine power at impact and no preimpact mechanical anomaly. Measurement of the exposed threads of the flap actuator corresponded with a full-flap, 40° extension setting. According to the manufacturer's owner's manual, "flap settings of 30° to 40° are not recommended at any time for take-off." Thus, because the pilot took off with 40° of flaps, the airplane was unable to attain the normal climb speed and entered a stall/mush from which the pilot could not recover because of the low altitude.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Student pilot should not have performed touch-and-go landings.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents10

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