DEN02LA022

Factual narrative

On January 20, 2002, at approximately 1450 mountain standard time, a Cessna 175, N7693M, was substantially damaged during take-off roll at St. George Municipal Airport (SGU), St. George, Utah. The student pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for this local solo instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at approximately 1440. According to the student pilot's statement, she was performing touch-and-go landings on runway 16. The first landing was "a little hard, but OK." The pilot said she had "no right rudder control" when she added power for take off. The airplane veered, departed the left side of the runway, and nosed down in a gravel area between the taxiway and runway. The nose gear separated from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and outboard left wingtip spar. According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the student pilot reported 68.4 hours of total flight time in all aircraft, and 13.1 hours in the Cessna 175. The wind at the time of the accident was from 200 degrees at 3 knots. The student pilot was performing touch-and-go landings on runway 16. The pilot said she had "no right rudder control" when she added power for take off. The airplane veered, departed the left side of the runway, and nosed down in a gravel area between the taxiway and runway. The nose gear separated from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and outboard left wingtip spar. The student pilot reported 68.4 hours of total flight time in all aircraft, and 13.1 hours in the Cessna 175. The wind at the time of the accident was from 200 degrees at 3 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12