Cessna 172S N961MC

Summary

On 26 June 2012 at about 20:30 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N961MC, operated by Palm Beach Flight Training, was involved in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, 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

26 June 2012 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

West Palm Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

North Palm Beach CountyAirport (F45)

Coordinates

26.8458, -80.2222

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N961MC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Palm Beach Flight Training

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lantana → Lantana

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12CA419

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during the takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s decision to conduct takeoffs and landings in conditions exceeding the airplane’s maximum demonstrated crosswind capability.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor stated that he and the student pilot were practicing touch-and-go landings in crosswind conditions. The student pilot landed uneventfully on runway 31; however, during the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and began to veer to the right. The flight instructor took control of the airplane; however, as it subsequently climbed to an altitude of about 10 feet above the ground, another wind gust caused the airplane to roll over. The airplane came to rest inverted on the adjacent taxiway resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The flight instructor reported that were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. The reported wind at the airport about the time of the accident was from 220 degrees at 19 knots with 29-knot gusts. The pilot operating handbook for this airplane indicates that operation in a direct crosswind of up to 15 knots has been demonstrated.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.