Cessna 172 N787LF

Summary

On 27 May 2012 at about 12:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N787LF, operated by Lanier Equipment Leasing LLC, was involved in an accident near Gainesville, Georgia, 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

27 May 2012 at 12:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Gainesville, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Lee Gilmer Memorial (GVL)

Coordinates

34.2728, -83.8303

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N787LF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Lanier Equipment Leasing LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gainesville → Gainesville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12CA369

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's improper use of the flight controls during the takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s interference with the flight instructor’s attempted remedial actions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor reported that he was providing instruction to a student who had about 10 hours of flight experience. During the first takeoff roll, the student attempted to steer the airplane with the control yoke instead of the rudder pedals. The flight instructor provided verbal instruction and then attempted to take control of the airplane. The student applied full left rudder, which the flight instructor was unable to counter. The flight instructor was eventually able to reject the takeoff, but the airplane continued to turn to the left, as the student was “frozen on the left rudder.” The instructor could not stop the airplane before it overran the runway and collided with the glideslope antenna. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and horizontal stabilizer. Skid marks confirmed the flight instructor's attempt to stop the airplane and the airplane’s continued turn to the left.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.