UPDATE: The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report (ERA23FA008) regarding the investigation into the Training Accident Newport News-Williamsburg Airport of a Cessna 172-N (N97883).
On October 6, 2022, a Cessna 172 crashed during a training flight at the Newport News–Williamsburg International Airport (KPHF) in Newport News, Virginia. No one on the ground was injured. Sadly, the certificated flight instructor died in the accident. A student pilot and another student onboard the Cessna were taken to a hospital with serious injuries.
The Cessna 172 took off from Runway 20. At 100 feet—about 80 seconds into the takeoff—the aircraft reportedly pitched up aggressively, lost lift, and crashed 200 feet from the departure end.
In Early Analysis: N97883, the AOPA Air Safety Institute (ASI) makes a preliminary assessment of the accident, addressing notable portions of the tragic flight and highlighting areas the NTSB will likely investigate to determine a probable cause.
The video also offers flight instructors practical guidance to help prevent a similar scenario when giving flight instruction.
Take the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s Essential Aerodynamics: Stalls, Spins, and Safety online course and review the Takeoffs and Landings Safety Center to learn more about factors that might have contributed to this accident.