Cessna 172S accident near Emporia, Kansas, January 18, 2009
On January 18, 2009 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N2465H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Emporia, Kansas (Emporia Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during the touch-and-go. Contributing to the accident were the gusty crosswinds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2009 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Emporia, Kansas · Emporia Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N2465H · no longer on the register · serial 172S10056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot was performing touch-and-gos to the 4,999-foot-long, 100-foot-wide asphalt runway in the single-engine, high-wing airplane. The winds were stronger than forecasted, yet the pilot elected to perform approaches to the airport anyway. On the second touch-and-go to runway 01, the student pilot stated that he encountered a gust of wind and lost control of the airplane. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted terrain in a dirt field resulting in damage to the airplane's firewall. According to the airfield's automated weather report, winds at the time of the accident were estimated to be from 330 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 22 knots. A review of the student pilot's logbook revealed that he was endorsed for the solo flight with a maximum crosswind component of 7 knots.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hetrick Air Services INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LWC Lawrence KS at 4:00 pm
- Destination: LWC Lawrence KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 4,999 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from EMP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.