- Date
- May 29, 2026, 11:46 local (17:46 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N386SPCessna 172S
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 15, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20260529005929A
- Case key
- 203094
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with runway signs.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The student pilot was completing his third solo takeoff of the day. During the takeoff roll, he recognized that the flaps were still fully extended from the previous landing and subsequently moved the flap lever to retract them. The airplane veered left off the runway and struck two runway signs, then continued back onto the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the elevator. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N386SP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8283
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 1,426.8
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Usaf Academy Aero Club
- Registered owner
- Usaf Academy Aero Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 23, 2026 · 51.6 hours before
- Airport
- AFF · Usaf Academy Davis Airfield, runway 16L/34R, 3,513 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 72.6 total · 27.6 in this make and model · 2.9 as pilot in command · 19.6 in the last 90 days · 7.9 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KAFF
- METAR
- METAR KAFF 291755Z AUTO 19011KT 10SM FEW140 SCT200 21/11 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP057 T02080111 10208 20128 57021 $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 15, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.