No fatalities

28 Oct 2019: Cessna 172 M — Augusta Aviation Inc — Augusta, GA

Augusta, GA, United States

On 28 Oct 2019, a Cessna 172 M operated by Augusta Aviation Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Augusta, GA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's failure to attain sufficient airspeed to climb out of ground effect, which resulted in a descent, loss of directional control, runway excursion, and impact with a fence. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During takeoff, a student pilot reported the airplane ascended about 5 feet before descending and veering right. Despite corrective inputs, the airplane exited the runway and struck a fence, sustaining substantial wing damage. No mechanical issues were reported.

Incident Overview

A student pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane reached 55 knots and ascended approximately 5 feet above the runway. Shortly thereafter, the airplane descended back to the runway and veered to the right. The pilot applied left rudder and reduced the throttle to idle as the airplane exited the right side of the runway. The pilot then leveled the wings, locked the brakes, and the airplane impacted a fence.

Aircraft Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings as a result of the fence impact.

Weather Conditions

The METAR for the accident airport around the time of the incident indicated wind was light and variable, temperature was 82°F, and the airport elevation was 422 feet.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Airspeed — Not attained/maintainedStudent/instructed pilotEffect on operation