Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
North Palm Beach Countyairport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
West Palm Beach, Florida 33412
Tuesady, June 26, 2012 16:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight instructor stated that he and the student pilot were practicing touch-and-go landings in crosswind conditions. The student pilot landed uneventfully on runway 31; however, during the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and began to veer to the right. The flight instructor took control of the airplane; however, as it subsequently climbed to an altitude of about 10 feet above the ground, another wind gust caused the airplane to roll over. The airplane came to rest inverted on the adjacent taxiway resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The flight instructor reported that were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. The reported wind at the airport about the time of the accident was from 220 degrees at 19 knots with 29-knot gusts. The pilot operating handbook for this airplane indicates that operation in a direct crosswind of up to 15 knots has been demonstrated.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during the takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s decision to conduct takeoffs and landings in conditions exceeding the airplane’s maximum demonstrated crosswind capability.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/26/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | West Palm Beach |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33412 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 265045N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801320W |
| Event Location Airport | North Palm Beach CountyAirport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | F45 |
| 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 | 22 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2000 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | F45 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 22 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 20 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 29 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.71 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR/SPECI from KPBI, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30116 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 30 2012 8:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | snyg |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N961MC |
| NTSB Number | ERA12CA419 |
| 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 | 172S9617 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 15 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 93 |
| Airframe Hours | 4186 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SPARROW AVIATION LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 750 OAKBROOK LN |
| Aircraft Owner City | SAINT LOUIS |
| Aircraft Owner State | MO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 63132-4937 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Palm Beach Flight Training |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2633 Lantana Road |
| Operator City | Lake Worth |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33462 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KLNA |
| Departure City | Lantana |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2000 |
| Departure Time Zone | UTC |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KLNA |
| Destination City | Lantana |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 24 2012 1:44PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 4300 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |