Cessna C172S accident near Muscle Shoals, Alabama, May 6, 2006
On May 6, 2006, a Cessna C172S, registered N613SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2006
- Place
- Muscle Shoals, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C172S
- Registration
- N613SP · registry record · serial 172S8597
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, during his second solo takeoff, he applied full power and just before the airplane started to rotate it made an abrupt hard turn to the left. The student pilot stated that he applied right rudder but it had no effect. He then reduced power to idle while attempting to steer the airplane away from any obstacles. The airplane struck a runway sign, crossed a taxiway, and came to rest behind a row of hangars. Examination of the airplane by an A&P Mechanic found no mechanical problems during the post-accident examination.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,469 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 2006; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MSL Muscle Shoals AL
- Destination: MSL Muscle Shoals AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from MSL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N613SP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.