# Incident 20190526005179I: Cessna 172S, Bedford, MA, May 26, 2019

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 26, 2019, 15:50 local time
- Place: Bedford, MA
- Airport: Laurence G Hanscom Fld
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.4699° N, 71.2890° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LAURENCE G HANSCOM FLD (BED), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4699&lon=-71.2890&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2081S, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2081S) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 235 total, 216 in this make and model, 37 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190526005179I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE RECENTLY CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS RETURNING TO THE RAMP AFTER CONDUCTING AN INTRO FLIGHT WITH A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT. THE STUDENT'S WIFE WAS A PASSENGER. THE CFI WAS ALLOWING THE STUDENT TO LEARN HOW TO TAXI AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT TOWARD THE EDGE OF THE TAXIWAY. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT, BUT APPLIED INPUTS TOO LATE AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED INTO THE GRASS AND STOPPED. THE ENGINE WAS SHUTDOWN AS A PRECAUTION AND TOWED OFF THE TAXIWAY WITH A TUG.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED BY THE FLIGHT SCHOOL MAINTENANCE DEPT. NO DEFECTS NOTED, AND NO DAMAGE.

INTERVIEW WITH THE INSTRUCTOR REVEALED SHE HAD JUST BEGUN TEACHING, AND ADMITTED SHE LET THE STUDENT "GO TOO FAR" WHEN DRIFTING OFF THE CENTERLINE. THE INSTRUCTOR RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TRAINING BY THE SENIOR INSTRUCTOR OF THE FLIGHT SCHOOL, WHO IS ALSO AN ACTIVE DPE FOR BOSTON FSDO IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. THE CFI WAS COUNSELED ON TECHNIQUES TO ENSURE SAFETY WITH LOW TIME STUDENTS.

## Other reports on N2081S (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20250810011819I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250810011819I), Aug 10, 2025: Cessna 172S (N2081S), Fitchburg, MA, Minor damage. Counseled student pilot on the importance of reporting any incident and explained to them that their actions are often the only action needed to stop many…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
