Summary
On September 08, 2019, a Cessna 172 (N737NJ) was involved in an incident near Mekoryuk, AK. All 1 person 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 exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff in gusting wind conditions.
The pilot reported that, during takeoff on a beach, the airplane lifted off the ground to about 10 ft but he "felt something holding [him] down." He lowered the nose to build up the airspeed, attempted to climb again, but was unable to climb due to a downdraft. He was unable to abort the takeoff due to increased airspeed and reduced landing area prior to a 50 ft bank. He decided to "pull up and go over that 50 to 60 ft bank." The airplane continued about three-quarters of a mile, aerodynamically stalled, and the empennage impacted terrain.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA19CA529. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N737NJ.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff in gusting wind conditions.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during takeoff on a beach, the airplane lifted off the ground to about 10 ft but he "felt something holding [him] down." He lowered the nose to build up the airspeed, attempted to climb again, but was unable to climb due to a downdraft. He was unable to abort the takeoff due to increased airspeed and reduced landing area prior to a 50 ft bank. He decided to "pull up and go over that 50 to 60 ft bank." The airplane continued about three-quarters of a mile, aerodynamically stalled, and the empennage impacted terrain. The airplane continued about 30 ft, struck a "big clump of dirt," and nosed over.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot reported that the wind was variable at 27 knots, gusting to 36 knots.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA19CA529