N903WA

Substantial
None

Cessna 172S/N: 172-61334

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, October 17, 2002
NTSB Number
ATL03LA005
Location
Opa Locka, FL
Event ID
20021022X05365
Coordinates
25.950000, -80.416664
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot' inadequate evaluation of weather information, and the selection of the wrong runway that resulted in an attempted takeoff with a tailwind and the subsequent loss of control during takeoff.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N903WA
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
172-61334
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1973
Model / ICAO
172C172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
CYLINDER SHOP INC
Address
14351 NW 41ST AVE
Status
Deregistered
City
OPA LOCKA
State / Zip Code
FL 33054-2328
Country
United States

Analysis

On October 17 at 1634 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N903WA, registered to and operated by Wayman Aviation Services Inc., collided with the ground during a training flight at the Opa Locka Airport in Opa Locka, Florida. The instructional flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. The flight departed time from Opa Locka, Florida, at 1610, on October 17, 2002.

According to the CFI, who was flying the airplane, they were conducting touch-and-go landings to runway 27. They had completed three touch-and-go procedures and were on the fourth takeoff when an updraft lifted the airplane off the runway. The student pilot reported that the airplane ballooned into the air and came down "hard" on to the runway. The airplane also collided with a runway light and the right wing tip was also damaged. The CFI did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane. The nearest weather reporting facility, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reported the prevailing winds from 050 degrees at 14 knots at the time of the accident. The CFI obtained weather information from Opa Locka Automatic Terminal Information System (ATIS) before the first takeoff.

the directional control was lost and the airplane collided with the ground.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ATL03LA005