Cessna 172K N84279

Summary

On 4 July 2012 at about 20:30 local time, a Cessna 172K registered N84279, operated by Clyde B. Malone, was involved in an accident near Greers Ferry, Arkansas, United States. 3 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

4 July 2012 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Greers Ferry, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Sky Point Estates (33AR)

Coordinates

35.6022, -92.1425

Aircraft

Cessna 172K

Registration

N84279

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Clyde B. Malone

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greers Ferry → Weiner

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA422

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain a positive rate of climb while taking off with a high density altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane reached an altitude of about 80 feet above the ground during takeoff when it started to sink. The airplane descended, and the left wing contacted 20-foot trees, spinning the airplane around. The airplane then descended to the ground, coming to rest alongside a building. The left wing was substantially damaged. The field elevation at the departure airport was 630 feet and density altitude was calculated to be 3,790 feet. The pilot stated that taking off with a cooler temperature and less weight in the airplane could have prevented the accident. The pilot did not recognize and compensate for the high density altitude that existed at the time of takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.