NTSB WPR23LA124 — 2023-03-09 · Van Nuys, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N73726

Make / Model: CESSNA 172N
Year of manufacture: 1976 · 47 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19760831
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A9E7C9

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N73726 Cessna 172N None

Probable cause & findings

The pilots failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported she had been practicing touch and go landings. During the takeoff roll of her second touch and go, the pilot noticed the flaps were fully extended. She retracted the flaps and subsequently lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane veered and exited to the left side of the runway and struck a sign before it nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_WPR23LA124.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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