Cessna 172M N73455

Summary

On 31 March 1997 at about 13:55 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N73455 was involved in an accident near Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 March 1997 at 13:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Blue Ash (I77)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N73455

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD97LA059

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a collision with tree(s) and a ditch.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the initial takeoff roll in a crosswind, he held left aileron control into the crosswind. He took out the correction as the airspeed approached 50 knots in order to rotate. Shortly thereafter, the left wing started to lift, and he applied some aileron and rudder correction. However, the airplane became airborne briefly, veered 30 degrees to the right of the runway, and settled. The pilot attempted to realign the flight path with the runway. Also, he tried to clear a 6 foot tall tree (beside the runway), but the airplane struck the top of the tree, descended, struck a ditch, and then nosed over. At the time of the accident, the wind was reported to be from 330 degrees at 15 gusting 25 knots. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector did not disclose any evidence of mechanical malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.