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CEN21LA127

2021-02-12 · Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 91C

Current FAA registration · N3477E

Make / Model
CESSNA 172N
Year of manufacture
1978 · 43 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19780926
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3DAA1

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s loss of directional control during takeoff, which resulted in the collision with a snowbank. Contributing to the accident was the compacted snow conditions on the runway surface.

Factual narrative

During the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered compacted snow on the runway surface, and the airplane slid to the left. The pilot, a solo student, reduced the engine throttle and applied right rudder; however, the airplane continued to the left. The left main landing gear hit a snowbank on the side of the runway, the airplane spun, and the right wing hit the snowbank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. A Notice to Airman for the airport reported the field conditions as 100% compacted snow with the conditions not monitored. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-Snow/slush/ice covered surface-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_CEN21LA127.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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