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Atlas / NTSB / WPR12CA038

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event WPR12CA038

2011-11-12 Phoenix, Arizona, United States Airport · DVT None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N24350

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 172S

Year of manufacture

2006 · 5 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING IO-360-L2A (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20060329

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A23E44

Registrant of record

AERO EQUITIES LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's inadequate directional control during takeoff.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that during a touch-and-go landing, he applied power for takeoff and the airplane began to veer to the left. Despite the student pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the left and exited the runway surface. Subsequently, the airplane struck a ditch and nosed over, which resulted in structural damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that during a touch-and-go practice landing and takeoff, he landed the airplane and applied power to take off. As the airplane accelerated, it began to veer to the left. Despite the student pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the left, exited the runway surface, struck a ditch, and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_WPR12CA038.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.