Accident Details
On February 8, 2018, at approximately 1130 central standard time, a Cessna 172M airplane, registration N1409U, was substantially damaged when it crashed near Centralia, Illinois. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The airplane was being operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, he rotated the airplane at an indicated airspeed between 70 and 80 knots. During rotation, the right wing dropped. The pilot turned the yoke to the left, but the right wing continued to drop, increasing the bank angle. He then began applying back pressure and thought to himself, "I'm done." Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground on the west side of the runway.
Witness Account
A witness, who was a flight instructor, was taxiing an airplane parallel to the runway from which the accident airplane had taken off. The witness observed that the accident airplane had a very short ground roll and assumed a nose-high attitude during takeoff. The nose continued to pitch up, and when the airplane reached an altitude between 150 and 200 feet above ground level, the right wing dropped quickly. The nose then pitched down, and the airplane entered a right spin before impacting the ground.
Aircraft Examination
The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation. An examination of the wreckage revealed that the empennage had partially separated from the fuselage. Both wings exhibited aft accordion crush signatures, and the engine was crushed aft into the fuselage.