NTSB GAA18CA253 — 2018-05-04 · Glendale, Arizona, United States

Current FAA registration · N99141

Make / Model: CESSNA 172P
Year of manufacture: 1985 · 33 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING AEIO-320 SER (150 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19850909
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S ADD958

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N99141 Cessna 172 None

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s failure to maintain runway alignment during takeoff, which resulted in an aborted takeoff and runway excursion.

Factual narrative

The flight instructor reported that, during takeoff, the solo-student pilot realized he had a crosswind from the right and applied right aileron and right rudder. He added, that as the student rotated, the airplane drifted to the left, the student lost control, pulled the engine power to idle, and aborted the takeoff. Subsequently, during touchdown, the airplane veered hard to the left, exited the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm. The student pilot was departing on runway 1. The flight instructor reported that, during takeoff, the solo student pilot realized he had a crosswind from the right and applied right aileron and right rudder. He added that, as the student rotated the airplane, it drifted left. The student then lost airplane control, pulled the engine power to idle, and aborted the takeoff. Subsequently, during touchdown, the airplane veered hard to the left and exited the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm. The student pilot was departing from runway 1. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Heading/course-Not attained/maintained - C
C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2018_GAA18CA253.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (runway excursion). All research papers