Cessna 172R N870CP accident near Maiden, North Carolina

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a rejected takeoff from a tailwind departure and subsequent runway excursion.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane to a nearby airport to practice soft-field takeoffs and landings from a 2,000-ft-long, turf runway. During the repositioning flight, he reported that the wind was from the south-southwest at an estimated velocity of 4 knots. After landing on runway 5, the student performed an uneventful takeoff and landing on runway 23. The flight instructor then elected to back-taxi to runway 5 and demonstrate a soft-field takeoff. During the initial ground effect phase of the takeoff, the flight instructor observed an indicated airspeed of about 40 knots near midfield and that the airplane was not climbing. He then elected to reject the takeoff, and with insufficient runway remaining to stop, he reduced the engine power to idle, moved the mixture control to the idle cutoff position, applied the brakes, and maneuvered the airplane off the left side of the runway to avoid unsuitable terrain off the departure end of the runway. During the ground roll, the propeller impacted a roadway, and the lower fuselage of the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

At the time of the accident, the airplane was departing from runway 5. A weather reporting facility about 7 miles south of the accident airport reported that the wind was from 240° at 7 knots, which would have resulted in a tailwind during the takeoff. It is likely that the airplane’s ground roll was increased as a result of this tailwind, which ultimately resulted in the flight instructor’s decision to abort the takeoff and the subsequent runway excursion.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA26LA227 for the full record.