Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary ANC92LA028

ANCHORAGE, AK, USA

Aircraft #1

N69004

CESSNA 152

Analysis

THE STUDENT PILOT, WITH 1 HOUR OF SOLO FLIGHT TIME, WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT NIGHT ON A SNOW PACKED ICY RUNWAY WHEN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF AND COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK. DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PILOT COULD NOT ASCERTAIN THE POSITION OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION AND RUN UP OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. THERE WAS NO INSTRUCTOR ENDORSEMENT IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK AUTHORIZING NIGHT FLIGHT OPERATIONS. THE MANNER IN WHICH SOLO FLIGHT LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS WERE TO BE PERFORMED WAS NOT STIPULATED BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, THE ICY RUNWAY CONDITION, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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