Cessna 172 N98981

Summary

On 13 June 2004 at about 15:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N98981, operated by Executive Flight Center, was involved in an accident near Meridianville, Alabama, United States. One person was 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

13 June 2004 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Meridianville, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Madison County Executive (KMDQ)

Coordinates

34.8614, -86.5572

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N98981

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Executive Flight Center

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Meridianville → Meridianville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL04CA131

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an attempted takeoff, which resulted in the on ground collision with the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that the airplane touched down smoothly. He stated that when he advanced the throttle to takeoff, the airplane began to turn left, and he responded by depressing the right rudder. The pilot stated that the airplane began to "fish-tail." The airplane veered off the left side of the runway into the grass, and the nose wheel assembly was torn from the airframe. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the nose gear separated from the fuselage, the lower firewall was cracked, and the propeller was bent on one side. The pilot stated that "he should have exercised better directional control on takeoff". The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.