Cessna R172K accident near Hazen, North Dakota, March 29, 2009
On March 29, 2009 at about 3:18 am local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N736CL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Hazen, North Dakota (Mercer County Regional 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 directional control of the airplane during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2009 · about 3:18 am local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Hazen, North Dakota · Mercer County Regional Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N736CL · no longer on the register · serial R1722420
- 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 he took off from an airport where there was snow, water, and slush on the taxiways. He landed at another airport for fuel and then departed for his destination. He said that the approach to the destination airport was normal, the touchdown was near the south approach end of the runway, and the rollout started near center of runway. After touchdown, he applied brakes, the airplane veered to the left, and the left main wheel departed the runway surface. The pilot was unable to bring the left wheel back on the runway and was unable to stop. As the airplane slowed, the left wheel entered a snowbank, and nosed over. The pilot said that the aircraft acted like the right brake did not operate properly and suspected it may have frozen since his departure was from the airport with the snow, water, and slush. The accident airplane was subsequently examined and no anomalies with the braking system were detected.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 538 hours in all; 183 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 447 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 26, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,624 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGA Ogllala NE at 11:40 pm
- Destination: HZE Hazen ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from BIS, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on August 20, 2009. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N736CL: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna R172 Hawk XP 758 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360-K 9 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Mercer County Regional · nearest airport
- Searle Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in North Dakota 581 since 1982 · 59 in the last ten years
- North Dakota 2,495 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN09LA231.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.