Cessna 172S accident near Waukesha, Wisconsin, November 26, 2008
On November 26, 2008 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N833SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Waukesha, Wisconsin (Waukesha County Airport). 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 maintain aircraft control during takeoff and his failure to ensure that the elevator trim was properly set before takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of autopilot system knowledge.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 2008 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Waukesha, Wisconsin · Waukesha County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N833SP · registry record · serial 172S8724
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the autopilot was inadvertently engaged while taxiing to the departure runway. The pilot and his passenger attempted to disengage the autopilot by depressing the "A/P" button on the unit's control panel. The pilot reported that there were warning buzzers sounding as they attempted to disengage the autopilot. The pilot eventually turned off the avionics master switch in order to completely power down the autopilot. After he reestablished power to the avionics, the autopilot appeared to be disengaged. He then contacted the control tower for a takeoff clearance. The airplane "prematurely" rotated and became airborne during the takeoff roll. The pilot stated that he immediately aborted the takeoff, but "struggled with elevator control because of a significant nose up pressure." The airplane landed off the left side of the runway, impacted a snow bank and another runway before coming to rest nose down. A post-accident examination of the airplane showed that the nose landing gear had collapsed, causing substantial damage to the engine firewall. The two-axis autopilot system had servos that controlled the elevator and elevator trim positions. The elevator trim was not in the takeoff position, with the indicator showing a nose-up trim setting of about 8/10 of its total travel. No anomalies were noted during an operational test of the autopilot system or after a download of its fault log. The autopilot was installed with the correct software version and was in compliance with all required airworthiness directives. The pilot reported that he had minimal experience with the use of an autopilot and that he had not received training on the autopilot system installed in the accident airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi (to runway)
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator tab control system › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 77 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 34 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 16, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,498.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 26, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Spring City Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KUES Waukesha WI at 8:30 pm
- Destination: K87Y Cottage Grove WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,848 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from KUES
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.