Summary
On February 18, 2013, a Cessna 172N (N6249D) was involved in an accident near Okeechobee, FL. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury, with 2 people uninjured out of 3 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
According to the pilot, they were departing a dirt road with open field to the right and barbed wire fence to the left. The pilot engaged one notch of flaps and applied brakes to initiate a short-field takeoff. After leaving the ground, a gust of wind struck the airplane and it subsequently turned to the left. The pilot applied aileron correction; however, the airplane nose impacted a barbed wire fence, the right wing struck a tree and the airplane flipped inverted into a ditch before coming to rest resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA13CA137. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N6249D.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
According to the pilot, they were departing a dirt road with open field to the right and barbed wire fence to the left. The pilot engaged one notch of flaps and applied brakes to initiate a short-field takeoff. After leaving the ground, a gust of wind struck the airplane and it subsequently turned to the left. The pilot applied aileron correction; however, the airplane nose impacted a barbed wire fence, the right wing struck a tree and the airplane flipped inverted into a ditch before coming to rest resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA13CA137