No fatalities

18 Jul 2015: CESSNA R172K K — TIM WHITFIELD AVIATION INC — Fairfield, NC

Fairfield, NC, United States

On 18 Jul 2015, a CESSNA R172K K operated by TIM WHITFIELD AVIATION INC was involved in an aviation accident near Fairfield, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During takeoff, an airplane veered left, struck corn rows, spun 180 degrees, and came to rest in a drainage ditch. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage; no mechanical issues were reported.

Incident Overview

The pilot of an airplane reported that during the takeoff roll, after adding power, the aircraft began to veer to the left. Attempts to correct with right rudder and brake were unsuccessful. The airplane departed the paved runway surface, and the left wing impacted corn rows that were parallel to the runway.

Post-Impact Sequence

Following the impact with the corn rows, the airplane rotated 180 degrees and came to rest in a drainage ditch adjacent to the runway. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage as a result of the accident.

Mechanical Status

The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. No further details regarding the aircraft or flight conditions were provided.

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained