Cessna 172P N97LP

Summary

On 24 March 2012 at about 19:15 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N97LP, operated by United States Air Force Aero Club, was involved in an accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. 3 people were on board and one 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

24 March 2012 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

US Air Force Academy Airfield (AFF)

Coordinates

38.9683, -104.8078

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N97LP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

United States Air Force Aero Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Colorado Springs → Colorado Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA200

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane during takeoff, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he rotated the airplane at 55 knots and that it immediately started to drift. He heard the stall warning horn so he lowered the nose. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground, and the pilot pulled the throttle to idle. The airplane was approaching the crossing runway, and there was a hump or ditch near the runway edge. The pilot pulled back on the controls to avoid the obstacle, and the airplane became airborne and climbed to about 10 to 15 feet above the ground. The airplane then landed hard and bounced. The nose landing gear impacted the dirt and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind during takeoff was “slightly from the right” at 9 knots gusting to 13 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.