Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172 near Rio Vista, TX — 2013-09-30

Final reportCEN13LA581
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Date
2013-09-30
Location
Rio Vista, TX, USA
Airport
3TX6
Aircraft
CESSNA 172
Registration
N8878B
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb after an excessive takeoff run from a grass airstrip, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remediation.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot and flight instructor were conducting the flight. The student reported that he and the flight instructor had landed at the airstrip to pick up a passenger. They then took off from the grass airstrip with the student flying the airplane. The airplane was about half to three-quarters of the way down the runway when it lifted off. The student pointed the airplane's nose forward to increase the airspeed, but the airplane was nearing the end of the runway. He raised the nose to climb higher, but the airplane would not climb. About 70 ft above ground level, the airplane stalled. The flight instructor then took the controls, but the airplane was not accelerating. The airplane struck a tree at the end of the airstrip and then impacted the ground. The pilot stated that he did not think the engine was producing sufficient power; however, no anomalies were found with the airplane during a postaccident examination. The runway was 2,600 ft long, and, based on the weather conditions at the time of the accident, the airplane's takeoff ground run distance to clear a 50-ft obstacle was 1,287 ft. Given that the airplane did not lift off until about half to three-quarters of the way down the runway, it is likely that there was insufficient runway distance remaining for the airplane to safely clear the trees at the end of the airstrip. The student raised the airplane's nose to gain altitude, which resulted in his failure to maintain adequate airspeed and led to the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff when the airplane did not accelerate.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents7

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