LAX97LA233

Factual narrative

On July 2, 1997, at 1600 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N64954, veered off runway 30 and collided with an embankment during an attempted aborted takeoff at the Madera, California, airport. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the instructional flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Fresno, California, airport at 1530. In his written report, the student pilot said he looked at the windsock and noted that the winds were straight down the runway, and the previous takeoffs and landings had been "very smooth." He reported, "after touchdown I applied full throttle and pulled up at rotation speed. . .I pulled back to 67 knots and was about 20 feet off the deck, when the plane hit a slight nose down and hard pull to the right." He said that he felt a sinking sensation and the aircraft began drifting off the right side of the runway. He attempted to correct the drift with aileron and rudder, but was unable to stop the movement. He then pulled the throttle and attempted to land. Following touchdown, the aircraft veered off the pavement, across a dirt area, and hit an embankment. In an interview with an Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Fresno, California, Flight Standards District Office, the student pilot reported that on the third touch-and-go takeoff, ". . . the aircraft nose went down when the aircraft was approximately 50 feet in the air." The inspector examined the aircraft and reported that no pre-existing anomalies were found. The student pilot reported looking at the windsock and noted that the winds were straight down the runway, and the previous takeoffs and landings had been very smooth. He stated that the aircraft was in the initial climb when he felt a sinking sensation and the airplane began drifting off the right side of the runway. Attempts to correct the drift were unsuccessful and he elected to abort the takeoff. Following touchdown the aircraft veered off the right side of the runway, across a dirt area, and collided with a dirt berm. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12