N1664F – CESSNA 172H – 2009-06-20 NTSB Accident Report

On June 20, 2009, a Cessna 172H (N1664F) was involved in an incident near Lovingston, VA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.

The pilot was departing from a 1,800-foot-long by 60-foot-wide turf runway in crosswind conditions. During the takeoff rotation, a gust of wind "shifted" the airplane, and it "lost its lift." The airplane’s left main landing gear contacted plowed soil to the side of the runway, and the airplane then "pitched over." Both the propeller and left wing struck the ground before the airplane settled back onto all three landing gear. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the left wing. The closest weather reporting station, located 25 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, was reporting calm winds at the time of the accident.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA09CA365. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N1664F.