Cessna 172 N8994V

Summary

On 4 August 2018 at about 21:15 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N8994V, operated by Wings Inc, was involved in an accident near Dowagiac, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 August 2018 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Dowagiac, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Dowagiac Muni (C91)

Coordinates

41.9931, -86.1283

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N8994V

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Wings Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dowagiac → South Bend

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA471

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain bank control during takeoff.  

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during takeoff from a soft-field runway, about 10 ft above the ground, the airplane drifted left. He added that the left wing "dipped" and contacted the ground and that the airplane then impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, right elevator, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he should have "stayed longer in ground effect." The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 20 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 210° at 10 knots and that, about 40 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 190º at 7 knots. The airplane departed from runway 22.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.