Murfreesboro Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37129
Thursday, December 13, 2012 8:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot stated that during the practice soft field takeoff, he pulled the yoke back and applied full power. The airplane veered left and skidded off the runway where the propeller struck a concrete culvert. The skid continued across the grass and the airplane came to rest in a drainage area. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the wings, firewall, and fuselage. The student pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/13/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Murfreesboro
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37129
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 355223N
Event Location Longitude 0862223W
Event Location Airport Murfreesboro Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MBT
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 614
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 756 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID MQY
Elevation of weather observation facility 543
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
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) 30.42
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report SA 13/12/2012 13:56-> METAR KMQY 131356Z 00000KT 1
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) 31041
NTSB Notification Source Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 10 2013 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record coln
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N54500
NTSB Number ERA13CA086
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 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17274990
Certified Max Gross Weight 2407
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 Dec 12 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 7399
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name SKYLARK FLIGHT TRAINING LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BROADBROOK
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06016-9612
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name James K. Gardner
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Murfreesboro
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37129
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
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 MBT
Departure City Murfreesboro
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MBT
Destination City Murfreesboro
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 10 2013 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record coln
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3898
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --