NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX00LA054
Registry · N738UA
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
DJI AGRAS T25
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A9EA86
Registrant of record
NORADS AERIAL SERVICES LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
the pilot's failure to use a checklist and remove the control gust lock.
Factual narrative
On December 17, 1999, at 1024 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172N, N738UA, operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a takeoff attempt at Concord, California. The airline transport rated pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operating under 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight was destined for Napa, California. The airplane overran the departure end of runway 32L after attempting to takeoff with the control gust lock installed. After the accident the pilot stated to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector on-scene that he had failed to remove the control gust lock prior to the takeoff attempt. In the pilot's insurance company report he also stated that he failed to remove the gust lock during the takeoff roll. He said he reduced the throttle and over flew the airport fence and landed on a road near the runway. The pilot filed a partial Aircraft Accident Report without a statement. The 40,000-hour airline transport rated pilot attempted to takeoff with the control gust lock installed. He stated to an FAA inspector on-scene that he had forgot to remove the gust lock. He also reported to his insurance company that he failed to remove the control lock well into the takeoff roll. He stated that he reduced the throttle and went over the airport fence and landed on a road. The pilot filed a partial Aircraft Accident Report without a statement. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1999_LAX00LA054.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (stall). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- NASA NTRS 2026 · Conference Paper
Computational Analysis of Steady State Aerodynamics of Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Configuration in Deep Stall
This study presents a computational investigation of steady state aerodynamics of the Subsonic Ultra-Green Aircraft Research (SUGAR) Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) configuration over a wide range …
- arXiv 2023 · arXiv preprint
Automating Bird Diverter Installation through Multi-Aerial Robots and Signal Temporal Logic Specifications
This paper tackles the task assignment and trajectory generation problem for bird diverter installation using a fleet of multi-rotors.
- arXiv 2023 · arXiv preprint
Variation of Critical Crystallization Pressure for the Formation of Square Ice in Graphene Nanocapillaries
Two-dimensional square ice in graphene nanocapillaries at room temperature is a fascinating phenomenon and has been confirmed experimentally.
- arXiv 2023 · arXiv preprint
Polycrystallinity enhances stress build-up around ice
Damage caused by freezing wet, porous materials is a widespread problem, but is hard to predict or control. Here, we show that polycrystallinity makes a great difference to the stress build-up process…
- arXiv 2022 · arXiv preprint
Enhanced Prediction of Three-dimensional Finite Iced Wing Separated Flow Near Stall
Icing on three-dimensional wings causes severe flow separation near stall. Standard improved delayed detached eddy simulation (IDDES) is unable to correctly predict the separating reattaching flow due…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2021 · Journal article (JAAER)
Analysis on the Negative Emotional, Physiological, and Cognitive Responses Elicited from of the Activation of a Stall Alarm
Failing to identify an aerodynamic stall can lead to the inability of an aircraft to sustain flight. To warn pilots of an impending or fully-developed stall, many aircraft have safety devices installe…
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