Accident Overview
On February 17, 2020, at approximately 1535 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172M, registration N5185R, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain adjacent to the runway after takeoff near Fayetteville, North Carolina. The flight instructor and three passengers were seriously injured. The aircraft was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.
Flight Purpose and Seating
According to the operator and witness statements, the purpose of the flight was to orient local community college students with general aviation. The flight instructor occupied the right cockpit seat, and the three passengers sat in the other three seats. During the takeoff, the passenger in the left seat had hands on the flight controls along with the instructor.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses, including other flight instructors, observed the takeoff. They reported that as soon as the main wheels lifted off the runway, the airplane pitched up aggressively. The nose rose to a pitch attitude higher than normal, leading to an aerodynamic stall. The airplane then struck the ground near the runway. The witnesses noted that the engine was running normally throughout the sequence.
Passenger Testimony
The evening of the accident, a flight instructor from the operator visited the hospital and spoke with the passengers. A rear-seat passenger reported that during the takeoff, the flight instructor called out for the left-seat passenger to let go of the controls, but the passenger did not release them. That passenger stated she began screaming as the airplane descended.
In a post-accident deposition, the front-seat passenger described the events. Before takeoff, the flight instructor instructed him on when to initiate the takeoff. Between 70 and 80 miles per hour, the instructor would say to either "push in or pull out" the yoke; the passenger could not recall which movement he made. At about 75 mph, the instructor directed him to rotate the airplane slowly. After liftoff, the airplane "tilted too far back," and the passenger could see only sky out the windscreen. He said the airplane "started going straight up." He kept his hands on the yoke for a "couple of seconds" after liftoff and then released it. He stated that no one told him to release the controls before he did. The flight instructor called out that he was trying to regain control and told the passenger not to touch anything. The airplane began descending as cockpit alerts sounded, then impacted the ground.
Wreckage Examination
Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined the accident site and wreckage. The fuselage and both wings were structurally damaged, and the propeller had separated from the engine. The examination found no evidence of mechanical malfunction or anomaly. Weight and balance calculations showed the airplane was below its maximum gross weight and within center of gravity limits. The operator also reported no pre-accident mechanical issues.
The flight instructor, due to the severity of his injuries, did not recall the event.