Cessna 172 N5185R

Summary

On 17 February 2020 at about 18:35 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N5185R, operated by Cape Fear Aviation Maintenance Llc, was involved in an accident near Fayetteville, North Carolina, 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

17 February 2020 at 18:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Grays Creek (2GC)

Coordinates

34.8936, -78.8436

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N5185R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Cape Fear Aviation Maintenance Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fayetteville → Fayetteville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20LA105

4 people were seriously injured.

The passenger’s excessive control application during the takeoff and the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor was taking three local community college students on an orientation flight. The passenger in the front left seat was on the controls with the instructor during the takeoff. Witnesses observed the airplane pitch up aggressively during the takeoff, approaching a near vertical attitude before stalling and impacting the ground adjacent to the runway. The engine continued to run normally during the event. A rear seat passenger reported that the flight instructor told the passenger to let go of the controls, but that the passenger continued pulling back. The front seat passenger stated that after the airplane “tilted too far back” during the takeoff, he kept his hands on the yoke for several seconds before he eventually let go. Due to the extent of his injuries, the flight instructor did not recall the event. All four occupants sustained serious injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. An examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction or anomaly. Given this information, it is likely that the front seat passenger who was manipulating the controls with the pilot applied excessive back pressure on the yoke, resulting in an over rotation, aggressive initial climb, and subsequent aerodynamic stall. The flight instructor’s remedial actions were not sufficient to prevent the stall, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.