Cessna 172N N737WF

Summary

On 27 April 2005 at about 01:45 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N737WF was involved in an accident near Palo Alto, California, United States. 3 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

27 April 2005 at 01:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Palo Alto, California, United States

Nearest airport

Palo Alto Arpt of Santa Clara (PAO)

Coordinates

37.4567, -122.1089

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N737WF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palo Alto → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX05CA148

Nobody was injured.

The student's failure to maintain directional control and the CFI's failure to adequately supervise the flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane veered off the runway and impacted a taxiway following a loss of control during takeoff. The student reported that while on the takeoff roll the airplane was on the centerline of the runway. The airplane started to drift to the right of the centerline. The student said he either released some of the pressure on the right rudder pedal and/or applied some left pedal to correct the drift of the airplane. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that during the takeoff roll, with the student at the controls, it "sharply and abruptly" yawed to the left and then "very abruptly rotated." The CFI attempted to regain control of the airplane; however, the airplane impacted "sideways on the parallel taxiway." The student and the CFI both stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.