Cessna 172N N4601D

Summary

On 30 March 2013 at about 17:15 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N4601D, operated by Aero-Tech Services, was involved in an accident near Bally, Pennsylvania, United States. 4 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

30 March 2013 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Bally, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Butter Valley Airport (7N8)

Coordinates

40.3922, -75.5586

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N4601D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Aero-Tech Services

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bally → Lancaster

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13CA185

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was departing on runway 34 with three passengers and that he had conducted an engine run-up before takeoff and all systems were working properly. He taxied the airplane onto the runway and initiated the takeoff roll. As he pulled back the control yoke, the airplane began to drift to the left, and he was unable to correct the drift. He did not regain control of the airplane, and it exited the runway. The airplane rolled into a grove of pine trees and sustained substantial damage to the tail section and right wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.