Cessna 175A N7979T

Summary

On 12 June 2009 at about 14:40 local time, a Cessna 175A registered N7979T, operated by James H. Ivy III, was involved in an accident near Polacca, Arizona, 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

12 June 2009 at 14:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Polacca, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

35.7969, -110.4628

Aircraft

Cessna 175A

Registration

N7979T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James H. Ivy III

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seligman → Taos

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA285

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to adequately estimate the required distance to avoid obstructions while taking off from a road.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After making a precautionary landing on a two-lane highway and adding oil to the airplane’s engine, the pilot attempted to take off from the highway. The local police provided vehicle traffic control and blocked off the amount of highway the pilot estimated that he would need for the takeoff. According to the pilot’s report, he was reaching takeoff speed when he realized that he would not be airborne in time to clear a police vehicle. He altered his takeoff ground roll to the right in an attempt to avoid the vehicle. The right wing of the airplane impacted a highway sign, and the airplane continued off the highway to the right and down an embankment. It nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in structural damage to the wings and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane or its engine during the takeoff attempt.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.