NTSB Factual Report

On August 21, 2017, about 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N73929, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from the Guntersville Municipal Airport (8A1), Guntersville, Alabama. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to a private corporation and operated by Henderson Aviation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that was being conducted as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight that was destined for the Tom B. David Airport (CZL), Calhoun, Georgia.

The pilot stated that he departed CZL earlier that day and flew direct to 8A1, where he planned to do a touch-and-go landing and then return to CZL. He stated that he made a normal landing on runway 07, but when the nose wheel touched down, the airplane began to shake. The shaking dissipated as the airplane slowed down. The pilot then raised the flaps, turned off the carburetor heat and applied full throttle to take off. As the airplane began to accelerate, it veered sharply to the left and departed the runway. The pilot was unable to stop the left turn even with full right rudder applied and the airplane traveled down a slope and into brush. The pilot called the operator of the airplane, who called the airport for assistance to have the airplane towed back on to the runway. The airplane was inspected by a mechanic, who determined that it was not "severely" damaged; thus, the pilot decided to fly the airplane back to CZL. The pilot elected to perform one touch-and-go landing at CZL before returning to 8A1. He said the takeoff and landing were normal, but when he added engine power to takeoff again, the airplane again veered left off the runway even with full right rudder applied. The nose wheel struck an object, which resulted in damage to the engine mounts, propeller, and airframe.

According to the operator, after the first incident, he talked to the mechanic at 8A1 and it was determined that there was no damage to the airplane and no mechanical issues were identified with the nose-wheel. The operator offered to come pick the pilot up if he did not want to fly the airplane back to Georgia, but the pilot declined. A short while later, the operator received a text message that the airplane had gone off the runway again and was more heavily damaged. The operator then flew to Guntersville and picked up the pilot.

The operator said that the airplane had no previous mechanical problems with steering or with the nose wheel. The airplane was a "daily rental" and flew regularly. The operator, who was also a flight instructor, flew with the pilot after the accident and performed 7-9 takeoffs and landings without incident.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He reported a total flight experience of 119 hours, of which 16 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot's last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on April 26, 2017.

The weather at Albertville Regional Airport (8A0), Albertville, Alabama, about 11 miles south of the accident site, at 1435, was reported as wind from 190° at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, clouds broken at 5,000 ft, temperature 31° C, dew point 25° C, and an altimeter setting of 30.15 inches of mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control on takeoff.