Culpeper Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Culpeper, Virginia 22714
Friday, August 3, 2012 12:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, the airplane touched down about halfway down the runway. The pilot’s intent was to perform a touch-and-go practice landing and takeoff. He applied takeoff power, retracted the flaps, and the airplane veered to the left. The pilot reported that he was unable to maintain directional control with aileron and rudder control inputs and elected to abort the takeoff. After he reduced power to idle, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and continued approximately 100 yards before impacting a row of trees. A witness report corroborates the pilot’s landing description. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. In a phone interview the accident the pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that precluded normal operation of the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during an attempted takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/2012
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1220
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Culpeper
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22714
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 383119N
Event Location Longitude 0775120W
Event Location Airport Culpeper Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CJR
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 316
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1220 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID CJR
Elevation of weather observation facility 316
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 --
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
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) 30.04
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30382
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern Region
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 25 2012 1:55PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6276Z
NTSB Number ERA12CA496
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 172S10745
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 2
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 Jul 19 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 1747
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name HEAVENLY BODY III AVIATION ENTERPRISES LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City CENTREVILLE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20121-2360
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Aviation Adventures, LLC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Manassas
Operator State VA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 20110
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HWY
Departure City Warrenton
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CJR
Destination City Culpepper
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 7 2012 4:44PM
User who most recently changed record gots
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --