Cessna 172 accident near Palmer, Alaska, September 24, 2006
On September 24, 2006 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N7939B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to follow the checklist to ensure the proper positioning of the magneto switch during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power, and a subsequent collision with high vegetation during the takeoff run. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper positioning of the magneto switch on the left magneto position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2006 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N7939B · registry record · serial 29739
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was departing from a remote area that was about 900 feet long on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, local area personal flight. The pilot reported that he previously had trouble with the airplane's charging system. When he attempted to start the airplane for takeoff, the battery was dead. He placed the magneto switch on the left magneto to facilitate starting, and hand-propped the engine. He then began the takeoff roll, which was longer than he expected. In order to miss trees at the end of the departure area, the pilot applied left rudder to maneuver past the trees, but the right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator collided with high brush. The airplane became airborne, and the pilot continued to his destination, about 8 miles away. Upon landing, the pilot discovered substantial damage to the stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that he also discovered that the magneto switch was still on the left magneto position, and that he did not select the "both" magneto position prior to the takeoff, thereby reducing available engine power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 732 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Palmer AK
- Destination: PAAQ Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.