# NTSB ERA26LA159: Cessna 172M, N61972, Lakeland, FL, April 5, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: April 5, 2026, 00:07 local (04:07 UTC)
- Place: Lakeland, FL · Cargo ramp Lakeland Linder International Airport
- Coordinates: 27.990351, -82.032067 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9904&lon=-82.0321&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202755
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA159
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202755/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA159

## Preliminary report

On April 05, 2026, at 0007 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M airplane, N61972, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lakeland, Florida. The pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) rated passenger were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he was conducting touch-and-go landings at Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida. About 3 to 4 seconds after his ninth takeoff, the airplane pitched up uncontrollably to an unusually high attitude. The pilot attempted to pitch the nose of the airplane down; by applying full forward pressure to the control yoke. Realizing the flap switch was in the down position, he moved it up but still struggled to correct for the nose high attitude. The CFI rated passenger assisted the pilot on the airplane’s flight controls, and together they were able to obtain a level flight attitude. The CFI rated passenger then retarded the throttle to idle, and believing the engine was no longer producing power, declared an emergency with the air traffic control tower. He then maneuvered the airplane toward a lighted airport cargo ramp near the departure end of the runway. The airplane landed hard between the cargo ramp and a taxiway, impacted a berm and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. Surveillance video captured the accident sequence and showed that after touchdown, the airplane bounced, impacted the nose wheel on the ground, before nosing over and coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, wings and vertical stabilizer. The airplane was equipped with an Electronics International Incorporated CGR-30 engine monitor. The airplane and its engine monitoring system were retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

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

- [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 410 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N61972](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61972), registered now, S/N 17264928, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17264928
- Year built: 1975
- Airframe hours: 3648
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Smtm Holdings Inc
- Registered owner: Smtm Holdings Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 16, 2026
- Departed: ORL, Orlando, FL
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: LAL, Lakeland Linder Intl, runway 28, 8,500 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: KLAL, 1 nm away
- METAR: METAR KLAL 060350Z 00000KT 10SM SKC 22/21 A3009

## 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 20260405006239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260405006239A), Apr 5, 2026: Cessna 172M, Lakeand, FL, Destroyed. CFII and I, were performing the 10 landings VFR at night at a towered airport for the commercial requirement for 61.129. On the 8th landing, we touched down. I…

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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