History of Flight
On August 11, 2019, about 0742 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172 airplane, registration N8928B, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near New Carlisle, Ohio. The pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot reported completing a normal preflight inspection using the checklist, estimating about 35 gallons of fuel onboard. No anomalies were noted during the engine runup, which included checking flight controls, magnetos, and carburetor heat. Flaps were fully retracted for takeoff. A rolling takeoff was made on runway 27, and after accelerating to 70 mph, rotation was initiated near the departure end of the runway.
The pilot stated that he pulled aft on the control stick too aggressively during rotation, resulting in a higher-than-normal pitch attitude after liftoff. About 15 seconds after liftoff, he felt the airplane shudder and it began to descend. He reduced pitch to increase airspeed, but the descent continued. He made an immediate landing in a plant nursery about 0.5 mile from the departure end of runway 27. During the landing, the nose landing gear collided with a hoop support before impacting terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
A witness, who was a flight instructor, observed the airplane taxi to the approach end of runway 27, stop momentarily, then begin the takeoff roll with flaps retracted. He saw the airplane pitch up very sharply about 2 to 3 runway lights (330-500 ft) from the departure end. The pitch attitude was high enough that he could see the top surfaces of both wings and the horizontal stabilizers. The airplane climbed about 2-3 airplane lengths in the nose-high attitude before pitching down to nose-level. The tail yawed briefly left and right, then the right wing dropped and the airplane descended behind a tree line.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest upright in a plant nursery. Substantial damage was sustained to the fuselage, both wings, and empennage. Fuel was leaking from damaged tanks, but recovered samples showed no contamination.
The engine remained partially attached to the firewall, and the propeller remained on the crankshaft flange. Propeller blades exhibited chordwise scratches, burnishing, an S-shape spanwise bend, and minor leading-edge damage; one blade tip had separated. Engine control cable continuity could not be verified due to impact damage, and the carburetor heat control cable separated from the airbox.
Internal engine and valve train continuity was confirmed by rotating the crankshaft. Compression and suction were noted on all four cylinders. No leaks were found during pressure testing. Borescope inspection revealed no anomalies in cylinders, pistons, valves, valve seats, or lower spark plugs. Upper spark plugs showed normal operation features. Both magnetos remained attached and provided spark on all posts with correct timing.
The carburetor separated from the crankcase during impact. The bowl had no residual fuel and no evidence of water or particulate contamination. Disassembly revealed no anomalies in the venturi, accelerator pump, composite floats, or needle valve.
Postaccident examination found no anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation during the flight.
Additional Information
Weight and Balance
During an interview, the pilot provided a post-accident weight and balance calculation. According to his data, the airplane weighed about 2,205 lbs at the time of the accident with a center of gravity 41.83 inches aft of the datum. The FAA-approved Type Certificate Data Sheet and Cessna 172 Owner's Manual list maximum takeoff weight as 2,200 lbs.
Takeoff Performance
The pilot stated he did not calculate required runway length. The asphalt runway was 2,000 ft long at an airport elevation of 895 ft mean sea level. Surface wind was calm and outside temperature was 17°C at an airport about 6.5 miles south of the accident site.
According to the Cessna 172 Owner's Manual, at sea level with calm wind, 15°C, and maximum takeoff weight, the required runway length for normal liftoff is 725 ft and to clear a 50-ft obstacle is 1,650 ft. At 2,500 ft mean sea level with calm wind, 10°C, and maximum takeoff weight, required lengths are 880 ft and 2,000 ft, respectively.