Cessna 172
West Palm Beach, FL — March 17, 2020
Event Information
| Date | March 17, 2020 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA20CA130 |
| Event ID | 20200317X62852 |
| Location | West Palm Beach, FL |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 26.59306, -80.08500 |
| Airport | Palm Beach County Park |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | Cessna |
| Model | 172 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The failure of the nosewheel steerage linkage during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of directional control and impact with an obstacle during an attempted aborted landing.
Full Narrative
According to the flight instructor, after a normal pre-flight inspection of the airplane and engine run-up, the student pilot taxied to the runway for takeoff and began the takeoff roll. Everything seemed normal as the airplane accelerated; however, as the airplane rotated it started to yaw abnormally to the left. The flight instructor attempted to overcome the left yaw by pressing on the right rudder to assist the student pilot. He was unable to overcome the left yaw, took over the flight controls and aborted the takeoff. The airplane bounced to the left and collided with the bank of a retention pond.Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the forward fuselage and firewall was buckled. Further examination revealed that the nose gear steering tube rod end failed and rust was noted on the threaded area of the fractured surfaces.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.