Cessna 172N accident near Wichita, Kansas, May 25, 2012
On May 25, 2012 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N73743, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Wichita, Kansas (Colonel James Jabara airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 2012 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Colonel James Jabara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N73743 · no longer on the register · serial 17267642
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing takeoffs and landings. They stated that on the second landing, when the airplane touched down, it veered sharply to the right. The instructor took control of the airplane and tried to stop the turn by applying full left rudder. She said that the rudder peddle was too stiff and that the airplane departed the side of the runway. The airplane struck a dirt berm and substantially damaged the firewall and empennage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed there were a lot of loose objects in the airplane, but there was no physical evidence that the rudder pedals had been jammed or impeded. Further examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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 landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,855 hours in all; 1,356 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 11, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sabris Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: AAO Wichita KS at 12:30 pm
- Destination: AAO Wichita KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 6,101 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
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 | 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.