Leesburg, MS, USA
N22593
Cessna 172M
The pilot stated that he had extended the flaps to "three quarters", while taking off, and he had been "milking" the flaps up, but the airplane was "sinking", even though the throttle control was pushed all the way in. He said the engine sounded as if it was developing full power, and continued to do so until impact, as the airplane continued to sink. The pilot said he maneuvered to avoid a crowded trailer park, and impacted the ground in a soft muddy open area, and the airplane incurred damage. The FAA inspector who conducted an examination of the accident airplane said that there were no indications of any preaccident failure or malfunctions to the accident airplane's airframe, flight controls, or engine, and that she found that the airplane's flaps had been set to about 30 degrees for the takeoff. The airplane's flight manual specified that for a normal takeoff the flaps should be "up."
On February 12, 2003, about 0905, central standard time, a Cessna 172M, N22593, registered to Brandon Air Inc., and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed shortly after takeoff from a private strip in Leesburg, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot, received minor injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that he had extended the flaps to "three quarters", while taking off from a private grass strip. He said the airplane was in the initial climb phase, at an altitude of about 200 feet, and he had been "milking" the flaps up, but the airplane was "sinking", even though the throttle control was pushed all the way in. According to the pilot, the engine sounded as if it was developing full power, and continued to do so until impact with the ground, but he further stated that during the takeoff he did not have time to look at the tachometer, and barely managed to make it over the first bank of trees as the airplane continued to sink. The pilot said he maneuvered to avoid a crowded trailer park, and impacted the ground in a soft muddy open area, that had been cleared to construct additional trailers and expand the trailer park, and the airplane incurred damage to its left wing and fuselage during the impact. According to the FAA inspector who conducted an examination of the accident airplane, there were no indications of any preaccident failure or malfunctions to the accident airplane's airframe, flight controls, or engine. The inspector further stated that the examination revealed that the accident airplane's flaps were found to have been set to about 30 degrees for the takeoff. The airplane's flight manual specified that for a normal takeoff the flaps should be "up."
The pilot's improper use of flaps, resulting in the degradation of climb performance and collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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