# NTSB CEN25FA320: Cessna 172L, N2860Q, Walters, OK, August 14, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report
- Date: August 14, 2025, 09:34 local (14:34 UTC)
- Place: Walters, OK
- Coordinates: 34.495833, -98.238611 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4958&lon=-98.2386&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Will Rogers Flight Standards District Office, Lycoming Engines, Textron Aviation
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200786
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25FA320
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200786/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA320

## Preliminary report

On August 14, 2025, about 0934 central daylight time, a Cessna 172L, N2860Q, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Walters, Oklahoma. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 91 personal flight. The pilot, who was an independent flight instructor at Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport, Lawton (LAW), Oklahoma, was allowed to use the airplane for pilot proficiency purposes by the airport authority. Airport personnel did not know of the pilot’s schedule for any flight training activity on the day of the accident since the pilot would solely maintain that schedule. An airframe and powerplant mechanic at LAW stated the pilot did not report any mechanical discrepancies with the airplane before the accident flight. Radar data showed the airplane departed from runway 17 at LAW, about 0833, and proceeded eastbound for about 10 miles before beginning a series of turns with relatively constant altitude and no large altitude deviations. During the last minute of radar data, the airplane made a right turn and proceeded northbound, decreasing in altitude and gaining airspeed until the radar data track stopped. The accident site and impact features of the airplane exhibited an airplane nose-down, high-speed, impact with terrain. The airspeed indicator, which was separated from the main wreckage, indicated about 155 kts. Accident site ground scarring contained a hole several inches deep within the ground consistent with the airplane nose that was surrounded by ground scars of the main landing gear wheels and both wings. The wings, fuselage, empennage, and control surfaces were all contained within the main wreckage. Both wings were crushed inward to their respective main wing spars and their wing flaps were in the retracted position. The airplane pitch trim was about in the neutral position. The propeller was separated from the engine and displayed rotational features of chordwise scratching and twisting.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-descent: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2860Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2860Q), registered now, S/N 17259860, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172L
- Registry model: [Cessna 172L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (registry code 2072432) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17259860
- Year built: 1971
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Pilot
- Registered owner: Lawton Metropolitan Area Airport Authority
- Departed: LAW, Lawton, OK

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: LAW, 10 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250814010479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250814010479A), Aug 14, 2025: Cessna 172L, Lawton, OK, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On 8/14/2025 at approximately 9:45AM CDT a Cessna 172L aircraft was involved in an accident in a field 10NM ese of Lawton, OK. The aircraft impacted the ground…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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