Cessna 172R accident near Newark, Ohio, March 5, 2010
On March 5, 2010 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N391ES, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Newark, Ohio (Newark-Heath Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2010 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Newark, Ohio · Newark-Heath Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N391ES · no longer on the register · serial 17280130
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was nose-high during a soft-field takeoff, and did not detect that the airplane drifted toward the edge of the runway. The airplane's left main landing gear impacted a snowbank off the runway's prepared surface and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident flight.
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
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 74 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVA Newark OH at 6:45 pm
- Destination: TVA Newark OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,649 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from VTA
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.