Culpeper Co Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Culpeper, Virginia 22701
Saturday, August 1, 1998 14:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the student pilot, as he began the takeoff roll on runway 4, the airplane started to yaw to the left. He said the throttle was at full power, and he corrected with right rudder, but the airplane continued off the left side of the runway, onto the grass, struck a ditch and nosed over. He reported over 30 hours of total flight experience, including 17 hours in make and model, and 7 hours of solo flight experience. He also reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane or the engine. The reported weather at the time of the accident was winds from 020 at 10 knots with wind gusts to 14 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. A related factor was wind gusts.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1410
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CULPEPER
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22701
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport CULPEPER CO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CJR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 313
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1340 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CJR
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1429
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N89074
NTSB Number IAD98LA088
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15282619
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 8 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 6008
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AERO SAFETY FLIGHT TRAINING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12517 BEVERLEY FORD RD
Aircraft Owner City BRANDY STATION
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22714
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CJR
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1355
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 4
Runway Length 4002
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --