Cessna 172M N118JD

Summary

On 12 June 2013 at about 02:30 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N118JD was involved in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 were seriously 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 2013 at 02:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Louisville, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Bowman Field (LOU)

Coordinates

38.2325, -85.6694

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N118JD

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Louisville → Louisville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA13LA279

4 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to set the correct flap position before takeoff and his inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in the operation of the airplane over the maximum allowable gross weight, both of which led to an aerodynamic stall at too low an altitude at which to recover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot could not recall any information about the accident except that the airplane had ascended to about 200 ft above ground level. According to Federal Aviation Administration radar data, the airplane had performed three takeoffs and landings, and the accident occurred during the initial climb after the fourth takeoff. The airplane impacted the ground in a right-wing, nose-down attitude about 430 ft from the departure end of the runway. No mechanical abnormalities were noted with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the flaps were set at 30 degrees. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, the flaps should be up for normal and obstacle-clearance takeoffs, and flap settings greater than 10 degrees are not recommended at any time for takeoff. Further, calculations of the airplane's weight and balance revealed that the airplane was over the maximum allowable takeoff weight by 114 pounds before the airplane's initial departure. The exact weight at the time of the accident could not be determined; however, it is likely that the airplane was still operating above the maximum allowable weight. Although the airplane had taken off and landed three times while overweight without incident, it is likely that the improper flap setting increased the drag and, in combination with the airplane's overweight condition, degraded the airplane's climb performance, which resulted in the airplane experiencing an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.