Cessna 172S accident near Mt. Comfort, Indiana, December 2, 2009
On December 2, 2009 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N6036Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mt. Comfort, Indiana (Mount Comfort 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while touching down during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2009 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Comfort, Indiana · Mount Comfort · 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
- N6036Y · registry record · serial 172S10213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that the airplane touched down smoothly on the main gear. He reported that as the nose gear settled, the airplane began to drift to the right. He stated that he applied left rudder, but it was ineffective as the airplane was on the nose and right main landing gears. The airplane traveled off the right side of runway 25 onto the grass. The pilot subsequently taxied the airplane back to the ramp. Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the firewall was dented. Local winds were reported as being from 040 degrees at 3 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 36 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Krughoff Aircraft Leasing LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BMG Bloomington IN at 2:45 pm
- Destination: MQJ Mt. Comfort IN
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 25, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from MQJ
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.