Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Goose Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Indian Trail, North Carolina 28079
Saturday, October 20, 2012 14:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane departed from a 2,350 foot long runway that had tall trees located off its departure end. As loaded, with full fuel and the pilot and three passengers aboard, the airplane was about 117 pounds below its maximum gross operating weight at takeoff. The pilot selected 10 degrees of flaps for takeoff; however, the owner's manual stated that normal and obstacle clearance takeoffs were to be performed with wing flaps retracted and specified the use of takeoff flaps only for soft or rough fields.
Just after liftoff (the pilot estimated the altitude to be about 40 feet above the ground), the airspeed began to deteriorate and the stall warning sounded. Because of the row of trees off the end of the runway, the pilot could not land straight ahead, so he turned about 10 degrees left and aimed toward a shorter tree. The airplane’s right main landing gear impacted the tree, and the pilot landed the airplane on a nearby road. During the landing roll, the left wing struck a tree, the airplane swerved to the left, and the nose landing gear sheared off before the airplane slid to a stop.
Examination of the airplane and a postaccident engine run did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation. It is likely that the pilot’s improper use of flaps during takeoff while operating near the airplane’s maximum gross weight reduced the airplane’s climb capability and it was unable to clear the trees off the end of the departure runway.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s improper use of flaps for takeoff, which resulted in the airplane’s failure to attain adequate climb airspeed and subsequent collision will trees during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/20/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Indian Trail |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28079 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 350715N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0803514W |
| Event Location Airport | Goose Creek |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 28A |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 565 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EQY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 679 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| 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) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.83 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31666 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SROCC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 15 2013 12:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2879U |
| NTSB Number | ERA13LA037 |
| 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 | 172D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17250479 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Sep 8 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6983 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PRESSLEY LEIGHTON B |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | INDIAN TRAIL |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28079-7543 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Anthony Androsky |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Charlotte |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 28226-2947 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 28A |
| Departure City | Indian Trail |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 28A |
| Destination City | Indian Trail |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 15 2013 12:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 2350 |
| Runway Width | 35 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |