Cessna 172N N738KE

Summary

On 19 July 2006 at about 14:30 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N738KE was involved in an accident near Petal, Mississippi, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 July 2006 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Petal, Mississippi, United States

Nearest airport

Private Airstrip

Coordinates

31.3286, -89.2481

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N738KE

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Petal → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW06FA187

2 people died.

The pilot's improper use of flaps, which resulted in an impact with trees during takeoff-initial climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot and a passenger attempted to depart from a 1,984-foot long, by 30-foot wide grass runway, with the flaps extended to the 40-degree position. The airplane impacted the tops of conifer trees located at the departure end of the runway and subsequently the ground. The airplane came to rest in an inverted position, and was consumed in a postimpact fire. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the site. Control cable continuity was established to all flight controls, and no preimpact anomalies were noted with the engine that would have precluded it from producing power. According to the Cessna 172N Information Manual, "normal and short field takeoffs are performed with flaps-up." The manual further states that "Use of 10-degrees of flaps is reserved for takeoff from soft or rough fields" and that "Flap settings greater than 10 degrees are not approved for takeoff."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.