Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Colorado Springs, Colo. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot reported that the wind during takeoff was from the right at 9 knots, gusting to 13 knots. He rotated the airplane at 55 knots, then it started to drift.
He heard the stall warning horn, so he lowered the nose and the airplane touched down. He retarded the throttle to abort the takeoff, pulling back on the yoke to avoid a hump or ditch near the runway edge.
The airplane became airborne again and climbed to about 10 to 15 feet, then came down hard and bounced. The airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe.
Probable cause: The pilot did not maintain control during takeoff, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent noseover.
NTSB Identification: CEN12CA200
This March 2012 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
