No fatalities

8 Aug 2011: CESSNA 172S — Florida Flyers — St. Augustine, FL

St. Augustine, FL, United States

On 8 Aug 2011, a CESSNA 172S operated by Florida Flyers was involved in an aviation accident near St. Augustine, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's loss of directional control while attempting to close the airplane's door during takeoff roll. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 14 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a solo flight, a student pilot attempted to close an open left door after takeoff, causing the airplane to depart the runway, bounce, and invert, resulting in substantial damage.

Accident Overview

A student pilot on a solo flight experienced a sequence of events that led to the airplane departing the runway and coming to rest inverted. The incident occurred after the pilot completed a full stop landing and taxied back for another takeoff.

Sequence of Events

According to the student pilot, she had completed one solo full stop landing in the traffic pattern before the accident sequence. She then taxied the airplane back to the runway, received clearance for takeoff, and advanced the throttle to full forward. Shortly after beginning the takeoff roll, she realized that the left door was open and attempted to close it.

Departure from Runway

A flight instructor who was monitoring the solo flight reported that the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The aircraft then bounced once, after which the nose wheel struck the ground. The airplane subsequently came to rest in an inverted position.

Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the airplane, specifically to the firewall and empennage. The student pilot reported that there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Conclusion

No probable cause is specified in the available information. The incident highlights the challenges faced by student pilots during solo operations.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot