Summary
On May 30, 2018, a Cessna 172 (N780JA) was involved in an incident near Payson, AZ. All 3 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 yaw control during a short-field takeoff in high-density altitude conditions.
The pilot reported that, during a short field takeoff, around 100 ft above ground, he saw the primary flight display (PFD) airspeed indicator show 0. He added, the engine appeared to be functioning normal, but he decided to level the airplane and attempt to land on the remaining runway. The airplane then began to turn left and he added right rudder. Subsequently, the airplane touched down on an adjacent taxiway left of the runway and the nose landing gear collapsed.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer.
Postaccident examination videos were provided by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA18CA313. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N780JA.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain yaw control during a short-field takeoff in high-density altitude conditions.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during a short field takeoff, around 100 ft above ground, he saw the primary flight display (PFD) airspeed indicator show 0. He added, the engine appeared to be functioning normal, but he decided to level the airplane and attempt to land on the remaining runway. The airplane then began to turn left and he added right rudder. Subsequently, the airplane touched down on an adjacent taxiway left of the runway and the nose landing gear collapsed.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer.
Postaccident examination videos were provided by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. The videos showed both the PFD and backup airspeed indicators moving in sync with air applied to the pitot tube.
The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 190° at 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots, and the calculated density altitude was 7883 ft. The pilot was departing on runway 24.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA18CA313