History of Flight
On October 6, 2022, at 1507 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, registration N97883, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during takeoff from runway 20 at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF), Newport News, Virginia. The flight instructor was fatally injured, while the student pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were seriously injured. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight.
Airport surveillance video showed that after departure, the airplane entered a steep, nose-high pitch attitude, climbing to about 50-100 feet above the runway before the left wing dropped rapidly. The airplane then entered a descending left turn and impacted terrain west of the runway.
A witness, a flight instructor taxiing on taxiway Alpha, observed the accident airplane in a nose-high pitch attitude (about 30° nose up) on takeoff. He reported that the airplane reached about 200 feet above ground level when the left wing "stalled" and dropped. He noted the wings leveled momentarily before the left wing dropped again, and the airplane hit the ground on its belly. He described the event as a "power on stall."
The pilot-rated passenger, seated behind the student pilot in the rear left seat, stated that the student pilot had asked him to accompany the flight because the student was nervous about his first training flight. He said the flight instructor had the student pilot assist with the takeoff, placing his hands on the control wheel, and she would tell him when to pull back during the takeoff roll. The takeoff roll was normal; at rotation speed, the instructor told the student to pull back. The student pulled back, and the airplane lifted off. The passenger said everything was normal "at first," but the student kept pulling back, causing the airplane to pitch up. The stall horn activated, and the airplane began to stall before it "nose-dived" to the ground. The stall horn remained on until impact. The passenger said the instructor was trying hard to regain control, possibly pushing the nose over at one point, but "it was too late."
The student pilot, on his first training flight, said he was more "excited than nervous" and that the passenger came along to "see the flight." He recalled the instructor showing him how to perform a preflight inspection before boarding. He did not recall portions of the accident but remembered being airborne and the airplane "stalling," with the nose "really high" and the back low. He did not recall hearing the stall horn but remembered the instructor "yelling." He said he "blacked out" and did not remember the impact, waking up in the hospital.
Pilot Information
The flight instructor's logbook was not recovered. According to the flight school, she had approximately 333.8 total flight hours, including about 75.5 hours as a flight instructor.
Wreckage Information
The airplane came to rest in a ditch on a magnetic heading of about 090°. All major components were at the site; no postimpact fire occurred. The engine was pushed into the firewall; the fuselage, both wings, and empennage sustained substantial damage. Tail control surfaces had minor to no damage. Flight control continuity was established. The flap actuator was fully retracted; the elevator trim tab actuator was at the 5° tab up position.
Engine examination via manual rotation established valvetrain continuity and compression on all cylinders. Borescope inspection revealed no anomalies. Spark plugs showed normal wear. Both magnetos produced spark. The fuel system: both wing tanks were breached with unmeasured fuel; fuel caps secure; fuel/vent lines clear; fuel selector on "both"; some debris in the filter bowl but screen clear; carburetor undamaged; throttle cable attached with arm in mid-range; cockpit throttle knob also mid-range.
Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the flight instructor on October 7, 2022, determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries, manner of death accident. Toxicology identified Fluconazole in heart blood and liver, a non-impairing antifungal.
Hospital admission blood and urine specimens for the student pilot were requested within 24 hours but not provided for three weeks after the accident, rendering them unsuitable for toxicological insight. No testing was performed.
Additional Information
The flight school's syllabus for Flight Lesson 1 – Introductory Flight included objectives such as understanding checklists, identifying required certificates, using safety equipment, positive exchange of flight controls, taxiing, collision avoidance, normal takeoff/climb, and basic maneuvers including trim use. The student pilot did not recall any pre-takeoff instruction; the pilot-rated passenger did not recall the instructor discussing the technique for positive exchange of flight controls before takeoff.