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Casualties unknown

2002-07-31: Cessna 172N (N5088K) — The Pilot Center — Fort Collins, CO

Fort Collins, CO, US

On July 31, 2002, a Cessna 172N (registration N5088K) operated by The Pilot Center was involved in an aviation accident near Fort Collins, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and subsequent inadvertent stall/mush into terrain during a soft field take off. Contributing factors include the pilot's lack of experience and the high density altitude conditions. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

While on his first solo flight of the day, a student pilot experienced a loss of control during takeoff, resulting in a wing strike and substantial aircraft damage.

Accident Sequence

The student pilot had just completed practicing several soft field takeoffs and landings with an instructor and was on his first solo flight of the day. After taxiing to the end of the runway, he pulled the yoke back all the way and added full power. Following rotation, the airplane came straight up in a 45-degree incline. At approximately 20 feet in the air, the airplane drifted off to the right of the runway, struck the ground with its left wing tip, bounced up, and then struck the ground a second time.

Aircraft Damage

The ground impact collapsed and sheared off the nose landing gear, buckled the firewall, and bent the outboard 4 feet of the right wing spar.

Aerodynamic stall

Related events

Same aircraft family

Same operator

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20020808X01331. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.