Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172 near Phoenix, AZ — 2013-04-04

Final reportWPR13LA180
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Date
2013-04-04
Location
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Airport
DVT
Aircraft
CESSNA 172
Registration
N2166K
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The student pilot's excessive directional control inputs during the takeoff roll and the flight instructor's delayed and ineffective corrective actions, which resulted in the loss of airplane control.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and the student pilot, accompanied by a passenger-observer, were conducting the instructional flight in one of their flight school's airplanes. The student pilot, who had a total flight time of 4 hours and for whom this was his fourth flight, was handling the controls. During the takeoff roll, his overcorrections caused the airplane to veer right and then left. After crossing the centerline from right to left and when the airplane was heading toward the left edge of the 100-ft-wide runway, the flight instructor took the controls but was unable to maintain airplane control. He attempted to lift off, and the airplane became airborne momentarily, but the nose dropped, the airplane banked right, and it then struck the runway. The airplane nosed over inverted and came to a stop. The pilots reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
CFI could have taken control earlier to prevent loss of control.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents9

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