Cessna 172 accident near Goddard, Kansas, July 9, 2010
On July 9, 2010 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N919YA, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Goddard, Kansas (Dunn Airstrip - Goddard Ks airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot did not maintain airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s poor preflight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2010 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Goddard, Kansas · Dunn Airstrip - Goddard Ks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N919YA · no longer on the register · serial 172S8670
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed from a 2,200-foot grass strip with an 8-knot tailwind. There were 35-foot high power lines at the departure end of the airstrip, the grass was wet, and the first third of the runway sloped uphill. The pilot stated that the airplane became airborne further down the runway than he originally expected. He was concerned that he would not clear the power lines and initially attempted to fly under them; however, when the pilot saw a road grader driving across his flight path, he pitched up, added an additional 10 degrees of flaps, and attempted to fly over the power lines. After clearing the power lines, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall, descended, and collided with the ground in a nose-low attitude. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. Performance calculations showed the airplane would have required 2,181 feet of runway to clear a 50 foot obstacle for an 8 knot downwind takeoff on a dry grass runway. Because the runway was wet and the first third was uphill, the required distance would have been longer.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,165 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 181 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 8,021 as pilot in command; 2,411 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 3, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,148 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2009; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Goddard KS at 2:19 pm
- Destination: AAO Wichita KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KICT, 8 miles away
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.