Cessna 172 accident near Lawton, Oklahoma, April 9, 2010
On April 9, 2010, a Cessna 172, registered N12614, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lawton, Oklahoma (Lawton-Fort Sill Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The private pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall, and the failure of both pilots to initiate a go-around. Contributing to the severity of both pilots' injuries was the lack of available shoulder harnesses.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2010
- Place
- Lawton, Oklahoma · Lawton-Fort Sill Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N12614 · no longer on the register · serial 172-62114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was completing a biennial flight review with a flight instructor. He was demonstrating a simulated short, soft-field landing over a simulated 50-foot obstacle on a 8,599-foot-long by 150-foot-wide concrete runway. The pilot allowed the airspeed to decrease to 40 knots at 50 feet above the runway and both the pilot and flight instructor failed to execute a go-around. The airplane then stalled, landed hard, and came to rest approximately 175 feet from the initial impact point. There was substantial damage to the engine mounts, nose gear and the firewall. There was a postimpact fuel spill, but no postimpact fire. Both pilots exited the airplane unassisted. The private pilot received minor injuries and the flight instructor received serious injuries. Because of the airplane's year of manufacture shoulder harness installation was not required and none were installed.
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 in flight during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Miscellaneous/other during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Passenger compartment equip › Design
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 463 hours in all; 413 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 405 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 29, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 588 hours in all; 381 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 4, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,046 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAW Lawton OK
- Destination: LAW Lawton OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 8,599 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.