Probable cause
The student pilot´s failure to maintain directional control during an aborted takeoff, resulting in a runway excursion.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot stated that the airplane’s left main tire felt flat during his third solo landing. After landing he taxied back to the fixed base operator (FBO) to have the tire checked. The FBO representative found no discrepancies and the pilot taxied back to the runway to continue the flight. During takeoff, as the airplane reached about 30 knots, the airplane began to bobble on the left side. In response the pilot retarded the engine power to idle and applied the brakes. The airplane continued toward the left off the runway, and came to a stop in a ditch, incurring substantial damage to the firewall. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident stated that the left wheel assembly did not reveal discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation of the assembly.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA115 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jan 15, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Lebanon, Tennessee
- Nearest airport
- Lebanon Municipal Airport (M54)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172N
- N-number
- N1946F
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.