Wauchula Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wauchula, Florida 33873
Monday, October 1, 2001 15:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that during the touch-and-go landing, as he applied power, and reached for the flap control to take off, the left wing lifted, then dropped, and the aircraft went suddenly to the left, into the grass. He said he reduced power and tried to steer the aircraft toward the taxiway, but it collided with a ditch, incurring substantial damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft while attempting to take off after executing a touch-and-go landing, in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a ground swerve, and the aircraft exiting the runway, and incurring substantial damage when it collided with a ditch.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/1/2001
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1520
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Wauchula
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33873
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Wauchula
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FD06
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 106
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID SRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 28
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
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) 11034
NTSB Notification Source FAA ATL Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Oct 1 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 27 2001 11:26AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Tampa, Florida

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N851CP
NTSB Number MIA02LA002
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172R
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17280480
Certified Max Gross Weight 2457
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 Aug 27 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 1631
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Nathaniel Aviation Inc.,
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 1 Box 334A
Aircraft Owner City Mifflinburg
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17844
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Eagle Aviation Academy
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8191 North Tamiami Trail, Suite 112
Operator City Sarasota
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 34243
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SRQ
Departure City Sarasota
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FD06
Destination City Wauchula
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Oct 30 2001 10:15AM
User who most recently changed record PREJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --