# NTSB investigations: Cessna 172M: Aerodynamic stall/spin

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 ERA26LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA062.md): Cessna 172 · Pensacola, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Dec 7, 2025 · N6542H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s exceedance of the critical angle of attack during initial climb which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB CEN24LA178](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA178.md): Cessna 172M · Midland, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 8, 2024 · N69PW · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around in a gusting crosswind, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of system knowledge regarding the operation of the…
- [NTSB CEN18LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA092.md): Cessna 172M · Centralia, IL · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Feb 8, 2018 · N1409U · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.
- [NTSB ERA17FA272](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17FA272.md): Cessna 172 · New Milford, CT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 11, 2017 · N1727V · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's failure to ensure that the wing flaps were properly configured for takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control during the initial climb.
- [NTSB GAA17CA341](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA341.md): Cessna 172 · Galena, ID · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 14, 2017 · N9912Q · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in a power-on stall and subsequent loss of airplane control.
- [NTSB GAA17CA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA318.md): Cessna 172 · Payson, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 4, 2017 · N50526 · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning that did not account for high-density altitude conditions and his subsequent attempted go-around in conditions that prevented the airplane from attaining a positive climb rate and resulted in its subsequent descent…
- [NTSB GAA16CA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA076.md): Cessna 172 · Abilene, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 10, 2015 · N9868Q · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's abrupt control inputs during the flare, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's lack of over sight and delayed reaction while landing.
- [NTSB CEN15FA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15FA083.md): Cessna 172M · Odessa, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 22, 2014 · N9922V · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at an excessive bank angle at a low altitude, which resulted in an accelerated stall and spin with insufficient altitude for a recovery.
- [NTSB ERA13LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA194.md): Cessna 172M · New Castle, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 7, 2013 · N92804 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff after recognizing that the airplane was not accelerating properly, which led to an aerodynamic stall. The reason for the lack of acceleration could not be determined because postaccident examinations did not reveal any…
- [NTSB CEN12LA408](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA408.md): Cessna 172M · Griswold, IA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 1, 2012 · N73182 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around, resulting in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB CEN12LA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA059.md): Cessna 172M · Sturgis, SD · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 11, 2011 · N13584 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff with extended flaps.
- [NTSB ERA11FA493](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA493.md): Cessna 172M · Greenville, ME · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 17, 2011 · N9932V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while manuevering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and subsequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR11FA415](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA415.md): Cessna 172M · Santa Monica, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 29, 2011 · N5155Q · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s misjudged approach and landing attempt. Contributing to the accident was a lack of airspeed due to a blocked pitot tube.
- [NTSB CEN11LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA082.md): Cessna 172M · Velma, OK · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 24, 2010 · N4428Q · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's relative inexperience in pipeline patrols.
- [NTSB CEN10CA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA075.md): Cessna 172 · Pearland, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 11, 2009 · N172BJ · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to control the airplane's descent rate during the short-field landing, resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight examiner's delayed response.
- [NTSB ERA09CA175](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA175.md): Cessna 172 · Reidsville, GA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 16, 2009 · N9289H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during an attempted recovery from a stall/spin.

## 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 ('2072418')
    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" = '241' 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/241/sequence?model=2072418

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