Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during a touch-and-go, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve, an encounter with soft terrain, and a nose over of the airplane.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On August 17, 1996, at 0830 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N89032, was substantially damaged following a loss of control during takeoff near Spring, Texas. The airplane, owned by A.B. Aviation, was being operated by National Aviation Services Inc., of Spring, Texas, under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo instructional flight for which a flight plan was not filed.
According to the solo pilot, she had been cleared by her flight instructor to stay in the traffic pattern at the David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport to practice landings. After departing on runway 17L, she was cleared by the tower for a touch and go landing on runway 17R.
According to the pilot, after touching down on runway 17R, she applied full power to initiate the takeoff phase of the touch-and-go. Control was lost and the airplane departed the left side of the runway into the grass. The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that she "panicked and failed to close the throttle." The nose landing gear sank in the soft ground and the airplane nosed over, collapsing the nose landing gear.
Examination of the airplane by the operator's maintenance personnel revealed structural damage to the engine firewall. The winds at the time of the accident were calm.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# FTW96LA364