No fatalities

23 Jun 2019: Cessna 152 No Series — Wayman Aviation Academy — Clewiston, FL

Clewiston, FL, United States

On 23 Jun 2019, a Cessna 152 No Series operated by Wayman Aviation Academy was involved in an aviation accident near Clewiston, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's maneuver to the left to avoid striking birds during takeoff and his subsequent loss of directional control after aborting the takeoff and landing on soft, muddy grass adjacent to the runway during, which resulted in a nose-over. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 17 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot aborted takeoff after birds crossed the runway, causing the airplane to drift left and land on soft, muddy grass, resulting in a nose-over and substantial damage to the right wing.

Incident Overview

A student pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, a flock of birds crossed the runway from the right. In an attempt to avoid a collision, the pilot initiated a climb and turned the airplane to the left. Despite these evasive actions, some birds continued in front of the airplane. The airplane subsequently drifted beyond the left side of the runway while at an altitude of 10 to 15 feet above the grass.

Aborted Takeoff and Landing

The pilot aborted the takeoff and landed on the soft grass adjacent to the runway. The airplane then nosed over. The student pilot noted that the grass was muddy, making control very difficult, and attributed the nose-over to excessive friction from the muddy surface.

Damage and Mechanical Status

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Observations

The student pilot described the ground conditions as very muddy, which hindered control and caused the airplane to flip due to high friction. No further details were provided regarding the specific aircraft type, registration, or other contextual factors.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation