Cessna C172R accident near Pawtucket, Rhode Island, August 30, 2007
On August 30, 2007 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna C172R, registered N2459Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pawtucket, Rhode Island (North Central State Airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2007 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pawtucket, Rhode Island · North Central State Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C172R
- Registration
- N2459Y · registry record · serial 17280909
- 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, "while using runway 23 [for take off following a] touch and go, I applied full power for takeoff. [and] I applied too much right rudder to compensate. I [then] applied too much left rudder which steered the airplane off the runway onto the grass. Power was cut and brakes [were] applied to stop. [The] right strut hit a taxi light at low speed before full stop". According to the FAA Inspector who examined the airplane damage consisted of the right main landing gear fairing, and the firewall.
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: 18 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 793 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 2007; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-260-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: New Horizon Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SFZ Pawtucket RI at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SFZ Pawtucket RI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from SFZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL07CA124.