Accident Overview
On September 30, 2013, at about 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 172 airplane, N8878B, impacted terrain during takeoff from Lowell Smith Airport (3TX6) in Rio Vista, Texas. The airplane was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight and was owned by the student pilot. The flight originated from the same airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Pilot Statements
According to the student pilot, the flight had landed at 3TX6 to pick up a passenger. On takeoff from the grass airstrip, the student pilot was flying. When the airplane was approximately halfway to three-quarters of the way down the runway, it lifted off. The pilots then pointed the nose forward to increase airspeed, but they quickly ran out of runway. Raising the nose to climb resulted in no climb performance, and at about 70 feet above ground level, the airplane stalled. The airline transport-rated pilot/flight instructor stated that he took over the controls when the airplane was not accelerating.
Post-Accident Examination
An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the wings, nose wheel, and firewall. In a subsequent statement, the ATP-rated pilot expressed that he did not think the engine was producing sufficient power. However, a follow-on examination of the airplane found no anomalies.
Weather and Performance Data
At 1255, the weather report from Cleburne Regional Airport (KCPT), 8.3 miles north of 3TX6, indicated wind from 170 degrees at 6 knots, clear skies, visibility of 10 statute miles, temperature 81 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 52 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury. Takeoff performance data for the Cessna 172 showed that for a 2,300-pound airplane at sea level and 59 degrees Fahrenheit standard temperature with a headwind of 10 knots, the takeoff ground run on a hard surface would be 615 feet, and to clear a 50-foot obstacle, 1,170 feet. The data noted that distances must be increased by 10 percent for each 25 degrees Fahrenheit above standard temperature, yielding a ground run of 677 feet and obstacle clearance distance of 1,287 feet.
Runway Information
Runway 17/35 at Lowell Smith Airport was 2,600 feet long and 110 feet wide.