# NTSB WPR25LA061: Cessna 172M, N6750H, Gig Harbor, WA, December 13, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 13, 2024, 12:09 local (20:09 UTC) - Place: Gig Harbor, WA - Coordinates: 47.267944, -122.57811 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.2679&lon=-122.5781&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 199428 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199428/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199428 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA061 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 123 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [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 172M, 59 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 61 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that he had been performing touch-and-goes and had landed left of the runway centerline. When he advanced the throttle, the aircraft “immediately pulled hard left due to its left-turning tendency,” and exited the left side of the runway. The student pilot attempted to continue the takeoff in an effort to overfly a sign, however the airplane’s landing gear impacted the top of the sign. The airplane then settled back onto terrain next to the runway, and the nose gear collapsed. As a result, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. At the time of the accident, the pilot was taking off on runway 17 with wind 060° at 4 knots. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6750H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6750H), registered now, S/N 17265566, 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: 17265566 - Year built: 1975 - Airframe hours: 16498.1 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Pickett Michael R, doing business as Pavco Flight Center - Registered owner: Pickett Michael R - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 10, 2024 - Departed: TIW, Gig Harbor, WA - Airport: TIW, Tacoma Narrows Airport, runway 17, 5,002 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 27; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 32 total, 11 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 4 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,600 ft broken - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.68 inHg - Observed at: KTIW - METAR: KTIW 132016Z 06004KT 8SM -RA BKN046 OVC050 08/06 A2968 RMK AO2 P0001 T00780056 ## 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 20241213018779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241213018779A), Dec 13, 2024: Cessna 172M, Gig Harbor, WA, Substantial damage. During the student's initial solo flight, the aircraft sustained substantial damage during the second touch and go landing. The student landed left of the… ## Other investigations on N6750H (1) 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. - [NTSB SEA96LA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA96LA047), Feb 4, 1996: Cessna 172M (N6750H), Mcleary, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from mountainous/wooded terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the terrain and downdraft conditions. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199428. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18422749&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Flattened_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos, 500 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18423156&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%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.