NTSB Factual Report

On October 9, 2004, at 0859 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172K, N78211, registered to East Tennessee Pilot's Club Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, collided with the ground while maneuvering on initial take off climb in the vicinity of Sky Ranch Airport, Knoxville, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage. The student pilot reported serious injuries. The flight originated from Sky Ranch Airport, in Knoxville, Tennessee, on October 9, 2004, at 0858.

A witness stated he was fishing in a boat adjacent to the Sky Ranch Airport, and observed an airplane on take off from the airport. The airplane was about 200 feet in a climb attitude. He estimated the nose of the airplane to be in a 30-degree nose high attitude and the airspeed was described as slow. The airplane made a hard turn to the left and the nose of the airplane pitched down. He then observed the airplane on the ground with the tail up in the air. He immediately called the 911 emergency operators and reported the accident.

The student pilot stated during climb out, the airplane wanted to turn to the left. He applied correction and could not figure out why the airplane wanted to turn. The airplane started to turn again and he thought the airplane would hit the hanger off the left side of the runway. He lowered the nose a little and then applied aft pressure on the control yoke. The student pilot stated, "he could not remember anything after applying the rear pressure on the control yoke." When asked if he experienced any mechanical problems with the airplane or his seat, he stated no.

Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane had collided with the ground in a nose down attitude and stopped against a hangar post in a nose down attitude facing the direction it had been traveling on take off. The airplane had been lowered and propped up on a sawhorse to stop a fuel leak. The left wing tip was missing and the wing was bent up and aft. The upper and lower left wing skins were twisted and compressed, and the left inboard flap was wedged into the left side of the fuselage. The right wing was accelerated forward and the right wing tip was bent upward. The right flap was damaged and had collided with a hangar post. The flight controls were connected and continuity was confirmed between the flight controls and control surfaces. The engine and propeller assembly remained attached to the airframe and no anomalies were noted.

The Cessna 172 Owner's Manual states at 2,300 pounds gross weight with the flaps at 10-degrees and a 20-degree angle of bank the airplane will stall at 54 calibrated airspeed (CAS.) With a 40-degree bank the airplane will stall at 59 CAS and with a 60-degree bank the airplane will stall at 74 CAS.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed on initial take off climb resulted in an inadvertent stall and an uncontrolled descent into the ground.