Accident Details
On August 18, 2018, at about 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 172S airplane, registration N893JA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Addison, Texas. The pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 discovery flight.
Pilot's Account
The pilot reported that before departing Addison Airport (ADS), he completed a weight and balance calculation on his phone and determined the airplane was within center of gravity limits. He stated that the fuel had been “topped off” (56 gallons) by a prior flight instructor. During the preflight inspection, he cycled the flaps twice—once to confirm full extension and retraction, and again to visually inspect the rods and roller tracks—and found no issues.
During takeoff, the engine performed “normally” until the airplane began veering to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and aileron. The controls felt normal with no resistance, but the airplane continued veering left over the grass toward a taxiway. The pilot recalled hearing the stall warning horn sound; he lowered the nose and adjusted the trim. He attempted to keep the nose up, but the airplane continued in a nose-down attitude and impacted the dirt. The pilot noted that the nose had started to lift prematurely when he applied power, and he tried to push it down before liftoff.
Surveillance Video
A surveillance video from a tenant at ADS showed the airplane in a high-pitch attitude shortly after takeoff. As the airplane moved into the center of the video frame, its pitch attitude remained consistent until the left wing dropped, followed by a quick descent. The airplane impacted the ground left wing first.
Examination and Weight Calculations
The pilot stated there were no mechanical issues with the airplane. A postaccident examination revealed no evidence of a preimpact failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. The flap actuator indicated a flap setting of 30°. A weight and balance calculation based on the available loading information showed that the takeoff gross weight was approximately 2,688 lbs, while the maximum gross weight of the airplane was 2,550 lbs.