N5679R

On February 13, 2000, at 1600 Eastern Standard Time, a Cessna 172, N5679R, was substantially damaged from collision with terrain and a snowbank during the takeoff roll from runway 21 at the Central Maine Airport (OWK), Norridgewock, Maine. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the solo instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In a telephone interview, the student pilot said he flew with his instructor approximately 1 hour before departing on his solo flight. During the flight, the student pilot performed several takeoffs and landings to include both touch-and-go and full stop. He said his instructor simulated several emergencies and that he performed landings power off, and with only partial instrument panel available for his use.

The student pilot said that at the completion of the training flight, the airplane was serviced with fuel and another pre-flight inspection was completed. He said his instructor asked if he felt comfortable flying the airplane himself. The student pilot said his instructor provided a complete briefing, and he departed on his solo flight. According to the student pilot:

"I knew the aircraft would feel different without [the instructor] in it. The airspeed came up quickly and the aircraft pulled to the left. It yawed. It hit a bad patch of tar and it wasn't up to speed and it pulled to the left. I hit a patch of ice, the aircraft yawed to the left, departed the runway, and struck a snowbank. The aircraft yawed left, pitched right, and then came back on all three gear pointed at the snowbank."

In a telephone interview, the flight instructor's description of the dual instructional flight was consistent with his student's. For the solo flight, he said he watched the student pilot's takeoff from a terminal building approximately 150 yards from the departure runway. The instructor said his view of the takeoff roll was obstructed intermittently by buildings or snow banks. He said:

"At the beginning of the takeoff roll, I could not see him, but I could hear him. He got to the [runway] intersection and when he crossed the intersection, I could see something was wrong because the wings rocked. He was about where he should rotate. The next time I saw him, he went straight into the snowbank and the plane flipped up and over onto it's back."

Both the student pilot and the flight instructor said the runways at OWK were covered with patches of ice. The flight instructor estimated the ice covered 40 to 50 percent of the runway surface.

Both the student pilot and the flight instructor reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.

The student pilot reported 11.5 hours of flight experience, all of which was in the Cessna 172.

Winds reported at Waterville, Maine, 14 miles southeast of Norridgewock were from 170 degrees at 6 knots.