Albert Whitten Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
Saturday, January 29, 2011 10:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the student pilot, he was on a solo flight practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. On the third approach, as he turned the airplane onto the final leg of the traffic pattern, the tower air traffic controller requested that the pilot complete a full stop landing due to an increased number of aircraft in the airport area. The touchdown and roll out were normal. The pilot subsequently attempted to turn off of the runway onto a taxiway with the airplane traveling too fast. He applied the brakes, yet the airplane proceeded off the side of the taxiway and impacted a pole, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. During a postaccident examination of the wreckage, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found no anomalies with the airplane that may have contributed to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while attempting to turn the airplane onto a taxiway after landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/29/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City St. Petersburg
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33701
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 274532N
Event Location Longitude 0823722W
Event Location Airport Albert Whitten Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SPG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 7
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID SPG
Elevation of weather observation facility 7
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 28333
NTSB Notification Source North Florida FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 29 2011 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6013J
NTSB Number ERA11CA132
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S10153
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2462
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name BAY AIR FLYING SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ST PETERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33701-5094
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name BAY AIR FLYING SERVICE INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ST PETERSBURG
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33701-5094
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 SPG
Departure City St. Petersburg
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SPG
Destination City St. Petersburg
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 29 2011 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2864
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --