Farmville Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Farmville, Virginia 23901
Friday, December 29, 2000 13:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot reported that he was on a solo cross-country flight, returning home. He also reported that he used the full length of the runway for takeoff, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway, and struck a cement block. The FAA reported the tracks departed the runway on the opposite side of an intersecting taxiway, about 1600 feet from the beginning of the runway. The tire tracks initially angled off about 20 to 30 degrees to the runway, and then shallowed to become parallel to the runway when the airplane struck a cement block. The tire tracks in the grass were estimated to be about 65 feet long and the cement block was located about 25 feet to the side of the runway. According to the owner's manual the airplane would have required about 630 feet to become airborne.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/2000
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Farmville
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23901
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 372127N
Event Location Longitude 0782616W
Event Location Airport Farmville Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FVX
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 417
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1301 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FVX
Elevation of weather observation facility 417
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
Density Altitude (feet) -1172
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10314
NTSB Notification Source Richmond FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Jan 8 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Richmond, Virginia

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73404
NTSB Number NYC01LA063
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17267433
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 7 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 7027
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Air Art Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1053 Tilman Road
Aircraft Owner City Charlottesville
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22901
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Blue Ridge Flight Center Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 306 Bowen Loop
Operator City Charlottesville
Operator State --
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 22911
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 FVX
Departure City Farmville
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CHO
Destination City Charlottesville
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 14 2001 10:02AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 03
Runway Length 4400
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --