Cessna 172M accident near Coldwater, Kansas, April 17, 2010
On April 17, 2010 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N81772, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Coldwater, Kansas (Commanche County 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 compensate for gusting crosswinds resultuing in the loss of directional control while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2010 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Coldwater, Kansas · Commanche County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N81772 · registry record · serial 17263860
- 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 landing his single-engine airplane in a crosswind when he encountered a wind gust of 15-20 knots during the landing flare. The airplane went off the left side of the runway and the left horizontal stabilizer struck a precision approach path indicator light, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot reported that he should have anticipated a higher crosswind component and possible gusts during the landing.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 98 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 10, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,208 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 2010; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KANY Anthony KS at 3:00 pm
- Destination: KHQG Hugoton KS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.