On August 17, 1994, a Cessna 152 (registration N6115Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Clearwater, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff after encountering a water puddle on the runway. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A student pilot lost directional control of the aircraft during a touch-and-go takeoff after hitting a runway puddle, resulting in off-airport damage.
What happened
The incident occurred during a training flight involving a touch-and-go landing maneuver. As the aircraft accelerated down the runway for takeoff, it encountered a water puddle on the surface. The pilot reported that the aircraft appeared to make contact with the water, which caused an immediate loss of directional control.
Despite attempts to regain control before leaving the paved surface, the aircraft veered significantly to the left. It departed the runway and entered soft terrain adjacent to the pavement. During this excursion, both wings struck the ground, resulting in structural damage to the aircraft.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff after encountering a water puddle on the runway.