On April 1, 1984, a Cessna 172 (registration N5261D) was involved in an aviation accident near Reedsville, PA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of directional control during takeoff due to crosswind conditions and/or surface friction, resulting in a runway excursion. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During a takeoff roll, the aircraft veered left despite pilot correction efforts, striking a snowbank and entering soft terrain before nosing over.
What happened
The pilot reported that shortly after applying power for takeoff, the aircraft began to veer toward the left side of the runway. Despite immediate control inputs intended to realign the aircraft with the runway centerline, these efforts proved ineffective. The aircraft continued its deviation off the paved surface, striking a snowbank adjacent to the runway. Following this impact, the aircraft entered soft terrain and subsequently nosed over.
Findings
The pilot noted that the wind was from 310 degrees at 10 knots, with gusts reaching 20 knots. These crosswind conditions likely contributed to the directional control challenges experienced during the critical takeoff phase.
Probable cause
Loss of directional control during takeoff due to crosswind conditions and/or surface friction, resulting in a runway excursion.
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