# NTSB investigations: Cessna 172N: Loss of control in flight

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN26FA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26FA051.md): Cessna 172N · New Orleans, LA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Nov 25, 2025 · N80FP · Destroyed
  > On November 24, 2025, at 1824 central standard time, a Cessna 172N airplane, N80FP, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near New Orleans, Louisiana. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured. The flight was…
- [NTSB ERA26LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA033.md): Cessna 172 · Oxford, CT · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 6, 2025 · N34LC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to compensate for gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control of the airplane and subsequent collision with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA24LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA048.md): Cessna 172N · Blairstown, NJ · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 20, 2023 · N739MK · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper control inputs and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a loss of control during an attempted go-around.
- [NTSB ERA23FA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA200.md): Cessna 172 · London, OH · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Apr 18, 2023 · N734GB · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low for recovery.
- [NTSB CEN22LA362](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA362.md): Cessna 172N · Longmont, CO · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 30, 2022 · N6587E · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s failure to properly supervise the student pilot, which resulted in a continued unstablized approach for landing, and the instructor’s delayed recovery that resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN22LA205](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA205.md): Cessna 172N · Auburn, IN · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 19, 2022 · N2128E · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper landing flare and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial response which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB CEN22FA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA197.md): Cessna 172 · Broomfield, CO · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 11, 2022 · N73670 · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane for reasons that could not be determined.
- [NTSB ERA22LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA070.md): Cessna 172N · Old Bridge, NJ · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 21, 2021 · N8074E · Destroyed
  > The student pilot’s loss of control during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB ERA21LA320](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA320.md): Cessna 172 · Miami, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 6, 2021 · N5412D · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the flight instructor to maintain the proper rate of descent during the aborted takeoff.
- [NTSB WPR21LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA311.md): Cessna 172N · Kernville, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 25, 2021 · N728KG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing after an encounter with a wind gust which resulted in a collision with trees.
- [NTSB ERA21LA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA216.md): Cessna 172 · Gulf Shores, AL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 13, 2021 · N5170K · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a loss of control during an attempted go-around.
- [NTSB CEN20LA425](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA425.md): Cessna 172N · Spring, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 29, 2020 · N75634 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during climb and subsequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA20LA336](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA336.md): Cessna 172 · La Grange, NC · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 23, 2020 · N5439E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during final approach, which resulted in a collision with trees.
- [NTSB ERA20CA269](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA269.md): Cessna 172 · Hudson, NY · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Jul 29, 2020 · N6705E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with vegetation.
- [NTSB CEN20CA152](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA152.md): Cessna 172 · Enid, OK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 16, 2020 · N737RR · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a power-off approach and go-around in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control, and a runway excursion onto a field.
- [NTSB ANC20CA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA034.md): Cessna 172 · Kahului, HI · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 17, 2020 · N738DB · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to avoid wake turbulence while landing behind a heavy jet airplane, which resulted in a loss of roll control and subsequent hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA19CA529](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA529.md): Cessna 172 · Mekoryuk, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 8, 2019 · N737NJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff in gusting wind conditions.
- [NTSB GAA19CA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA247.md): Cessna 172 · Auburn, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 6, 2019 · N734DX · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper retraction of the flaps during a go-around and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB WPR18LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA262.md): Cessna 172 · St. Johns, AZ · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 15, 2018 · N734FT · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight planning before takeoff in the high density altitude conditions, which resulted in the airplane being unable to maintain sufficient airspeed to continue to climb.
- [NTSB CEN18LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA171.md): Cessna 172N · Orrville, OH · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 11, 2018 · N738XT · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to attain adequate airspeed during the soft field takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB GAA18CA232](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA232.md): Cessna 172 · San Jose, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 20, 2018 · N23AT · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s failure to maintain the runway heading during the approach to land, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
- [NTSB GAA18CA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA112.md): Cessna 172 · Silver City, NM · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jan 26, 2018 · N1046F · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
- [NTSB GAA17CA540](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA540.md): Cessna 172 · Lynchburg, VA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 16, 2017 · N5396D · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's unstabilized approach, which resulted in an aborted go-around, an aerodynamic stall, and a hard landing.
- [NTSB WPR17FA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA023.md): Cessna 172N · Moss Beach, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 18, 2016 · N6610D · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of airplane control following an encounter with low level wind shear and turbulence during final approach for landing. Contributing to the loss of control was the pilot's decision to retract the wing flaps on final approach, which resulted in…
- [NTSB GAA17CA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA012.md): Cessna 172 · Ocean Springs, MS · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 8, 2016 · N3379E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while landing in windy conditions.
- [NTSB ERA16FA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA309.md): Cessna 172 · Hollywood, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 3, 2016 · N6091E · Destroyed
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight weather planning, which resulted in continued flight into a thunderstorm and a subsequent loss of airplane control.
- [NTSB ERA16FA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA141.md): Cessna 172N · Charleston, WV · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 26, 2016 · N6238D · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's failure to ensure that her seat was properly secured before initiating the takeoff, which resulted in a subsequent loss of control. Contributing was the lack of an installed secondary seat stop.
- [NTSB CEN14CA353](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA353.md): Cessna 172N · Edgewood, NM · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 10, 2014 · N4842G · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's in-flight loss of control resulting from a crosswind gust encountered immediately after takeoff.
- [NTSB WPR14LA235](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA235.md): Cessna 172N · Page, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 8, 2014 · N5589E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting wind conditions, his inadequate recovery from the subsequent bounced landing, and his decision to perform a go-around with insufficient airspeed to climb.
- [NTSB WPR14LA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA080.md): Cessna 172N · Pacoima, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 29, 2013 · N4936D · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s inadequate compensation for the gusting crosswind conditions during landing, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
- [NTSB CEN13CA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA246.md): Cessna 172N · New Orleans, LA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 28, 2013 · N737FK · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to perform a steep climb before going around following a low pass for a banner tow pickup.
- [NTSB ERA13CA210](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA210.md): Cessna 172N · Stow, MA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 20, 2013 · N739CK · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusty wind conditions.
- [NTSB ERA13FA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA059.md): Cessna 172N · Owls Head, ME · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 16, 2012 · N6142F · Substantial damage
  > The vehicle driver's failure to verify that the runway was not occupied by an airplane before crossing the runway, which resulted in the vehicle being struck by a departing airplane, and the pilot's continued takeoff with flight control damage, which…
- [NTSB ERA13WA205](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13WA205.md): Cessna 172N · Acreúna Municipality, Brazil · Accident · 4 fatal · Foreign investigation · Sep 9, 2012 · N1009F · Destroyed
- [NTSB CEN12FA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA154.md): Cessna 172N · Floresville, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 10, 2012 · N5427J · Substantial damage
  > The medical incapacitation of the pilot due to a sudden cardiac arrhythmia or acute myocardial infarction.
- [NTSB CEN11CA580](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA580.md): Cessna 172N · Winnsboro, LA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 18, 2011 · N3209E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff with a gusting crosswind.
- [NTSB ERA11CA347](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA347.md): Cessna 172N · Belle Glades, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 15, 2011 · N4954G · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the landing approach.
- [NTSB ERA11CA236](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA236.md): Cessna 172N · Millville, NJ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 10, 2011 · N6338F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing which resulted in a loss of aircraft control during the go-around.
- [NTSB CEN11CA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA248.md): Cessna 172N · Graham, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 26, 2011 · N9961E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
- [NTSB WPR11LA175](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA175.md): Cessna 172N · Spanish Fork, UT · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 21, 2011 · N739DG · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting wind, which resulted in a loss of airplane control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to depart with a high gusting wind.
- [NTSB CEN11LA204](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA204.md): Cessna 172N · Andrews, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 25, 2011 · N739BL · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an emergency descent, following a loss of engine power, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
- [NTSB WPR10LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA307.md): Cessna 172N · Angels Camp, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 21, 2010 · N733AS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering.
- [NTSB CEN10FA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA101.md): Cessna 172 · Holland, MI · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 17, 2010 · N8405E · Destroyed
  > The pilot's decision to take off in known instrument meteorological conditions without instrument currency or recent instrument experience, which led to spatial disorientation resulting in an inadvertent spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack…
- [NTSB ERA09CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA103.md): Cessna 172 · Corning, NY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 21, 2008 · N6621D · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident were the gusty wind conditions and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
- [NTSB NYC08CA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA250.md): Cessna 172 N · Williamstown, NJ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 16, 2008 · N739UG · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's inability to maintain directional control during the attempted aborted landing. Contributing to the severity of the accident were the trees.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2072434')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '240' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence?model=2072434

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