# NTSB ERA26LA187: Cessna 172, N99467, Quakertown, PA, April 24, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 24, 2026, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC) - Place: Quakertown, PA - Coordinates: 40.434695, -75.37947 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4347&lon=-75.3795&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 21, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202891 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA187 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202891/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202891 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA187 ## Probable cause The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain aircraft directional control during the takeoff roll. Contributing was the flight crew’s failure to ensure a positive exchange of flight controls during the takeoff roll. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Communication (personnel): cRM/MRM techniques](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063540): Personnel issues › Task performance · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063540/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063540/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the local flight was to perform an onboarding evaluation/training flight with a pilot that he had not previously flown the accident aircraft make and model. The flight departed and the pilot performed various uneventful flight maneuvers before returning to the departure airport. Both pilots reported that throughout the flight there had been a positive exchange of flight controls any time the controls were passed from one pilot to the other. Upon returning, the flight instructor demonstrated a stabilized approach and landing for the pilot receiving instruction. The pilot receiving instruction took the controls for a “normal” takeoff. The flight instructor reported that when the takeoff roll began, the airplane began to travel left of the runway centerline. The pilot receiving instruction then overcorrected resulting in the airplane being right of the runway centerline. He told the pilot receiving instruction to correct his heading, which resulted in another overcorrection. The airplane traveled left of centerline and continued toward the left side of the runway. The flight instructor attempted to add right rudder control input and reported that the airplane momentarily aligned with the “runway sideline” before the pilot receiving instruction added more left rudder and he was overpowered. The pilot receiving instruction reported that when the airplane began to veer off the runway centerline he corrected but “needed more pressure than expected” before the airplane veered left. The airplane departed the runway surface, and the flight instructor attempted to “hop” over the precision approach path indicator system, during which the right main landing gear impacted the system and was separated. The airplane touched down and veered right across the runway and an adjacent grassy area before coming to rest on a taxiway which resulted in substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99467](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99467), registered now, S/N 17276451, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (P) - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17276451 - Year built: 1985 - Airframe hours: 6252.6 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Civil Air Patrol Inc - Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 17, 2025, 663 hours before - Airport: UKT, Quakertown, runway 29, 3,210 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 52; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 12, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,257 total, 131 in this make and model, 3,060 as pilot in command, 64 in the last 90 days, 31 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 13, 2026; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 341 total, 2 in this make and model, 241 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.78 inHg - Observed at: UKT - METAR: METAR KUKT 241835Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM CLR 22/03 A2978 RMK AO2 ## 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 20260424004529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260424004529A), Apr 24, 2026: Cessna 172P, Quakertown, PA, Substantial damage. On April 24, 2026, at 1855Z, a civil air patrol (cap) orientation and evaluation flight took place at Quakertown Airport (kukt) involving a [privacy data… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202891. 6.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (flight instructor) (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20297564&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%206120.1%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Flight instructor's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20297134&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%20Statement%20NTSB_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� correspondence with flight instructor (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20322394&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FI%20Questions_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (pilot receiving instruction) (item 4, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20296812&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20Pilot%20Receiving%20Instruction_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (operator) (item 5, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20295645&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20Operator_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20297574&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA187%20Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.