Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Fullerton Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fullerton, California 92833
Tuesady, September 30, 2008 18:35 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The student pilot completed a preflight inspection and taxied to the runway for a planned solo flight to practice takeoffs and landings. Witness observations and wreckage distribution indicate that about 513 feet into the takeoff roll, the airplane's tail skid struck the runway. About the 750-foot point, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck two runway/taxiway signs before becoming airborne around the 937-foot point. Impact with the signs resulted in severe damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. Shortly after becoming airborne, the airplane rolled into a steep right bank, nosed down, and impacted the runway. No preimpact anomalies were noted during examination of the airframe and engine. Measurement of the flap actuator indicated the flaps were in the full down position. The flap selector lever was found in the full up position; however, the lever was bent over to the right, indicating that it was damaged and likely moved during the impact sequence or when the pilot exited the airplane. According to the pilot's operating handbook (POH) for the airplane, flap deflections greater than 10 degrees are not approved for takeoff. Verifying the flap setting is an item included in the Before Takeoff, Normal Takeoff, and Short Field Takeoff checklists in the POH. The evidence indicates that the pilot omitted the checklist item to verify the flap setting and inadvertently initiated a takeoff with the wing flaps in the 30-degree (full down) position. Early in the takeoff roll, the airplane's nose pitched up, the tail skid struck the ground, and the pilot lost directional control. Instead of aborting, the pilot continued the takeoff, and the airplane exited the runway and hit two runway/taxiway signs, which severely damaged the left horizontal stabilizer. Once airborne, the pilot was unable to maintain control of the airplane, possibly due to the damaged stabilizer, and it entered an uncontrolled descent and struck the ground.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to follow the takeoff checklist and verify the proper flap setting before takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/30/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1835 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Fullerton |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 92833 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 335219N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1175847W |
| Event Location Airport | Fullerton Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FUL |
| 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 | 96 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1840 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FUL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 96 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.86 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25488 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 10 2009 3:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2190W |
| NTSB Number | LAX08FA301 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | 172S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172S10502 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 11 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 116 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | N2190W LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 135 W Main St |
| Aircraft Owner City | Missoula |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59802 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Tim Jay Cuthers |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Villa Park |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | FUL |
| Departure City | Fullerton |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1835 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | FUL |
| Destination City | Fullerton |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 29 2009 6:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | 3121 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |