Cessna 172P accident near Bartlesville, Oklahoma, August 28, 2010
On August 28, 2010 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52071, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Bartlesville, Oklahoma (Bartlesville Municipal 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 student pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff due to an improper flap setting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2010 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Bartlesville, Oklahoma · Bartlesville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52071 · no longer on the register · serial 17274406
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a written statement received from the student pilot, during the takeoff roll and lift off from runway 17, the student pilot saw that the flaps were still extended to 30 degrees. He then retracted the flaps and the airplane began to drift to the left. He attempted to correct back to centerline, but was unable. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, continued across the field and impacted a perimeter fence. The empennage of the airplane was substantially damaged. An examination of the airplane and its systems, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, revealed no anomalies.
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 takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 54 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,735 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 2010
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBVO Bartlesville OK at 7:20 pm
- Destination: KGMJ Grove OK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 6,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KBVO
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.
Other NTSB records under N52071 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.