Cessna 140 N89476

Summary

On 26 September 2020 at about 13:45 local time, a Cessna 140 registered N89476 was involved in an accident near New Smyrna Beach, Florida, United States. One person was 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 September 2020 at 13:45

Classification

Accident

Location

New Smyrna Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Massey Ranch Airpark (X50)

Coordinates

28.9789, -80.9248

Aircraft

Cessna 140

Registration

N89476

Category

Airplane

Year built

1946

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Edgewater → Port Orange

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20LA334

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to depart from a non-suitable surface, which resulted in a loss of directional control during takeoff roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the takeoff roll from a grass area adjacent the paved runway surface, the airplane’s left main landing gear wheel struck a “muddy pothole.” The airplane’s nose then veered down and to the left and the pilot lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane subsequently struck a fence, and the right wing impacted a tree substantially damaging it. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.