Cessna 172S accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, August 1, 2012
On August 1, 2012 at about 5:15 am local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N462TR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Regioanl Airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor’s loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in a collision with a runway light.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2012 · about 5:15 am local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Regioanl Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N462TR · registry record · serial 172S9462
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on final approach to land after the completion of a local night instructional flight. The flight instructor was to demonstrate the proper pitch attitude and sight picture needed for a landing at night. On short final, just before touchdown, the airplane drifted off of the runway centerline to the left. Upon touchdown the airplane was still moving toward the left side of the runway. The instructor stated that with the low energy state of the airplane there was not enough room to perform a go-around safely. The airplane then exited the runway as he applied flight control inputs to correct back to the centerline. Upon exiting the runway, the airplane impacted a runway light on the lower portion of the right wing strut attach point, resulting in structural damage to the strut. The instructor reported that the accident could have been prevented if positive control was maintained during the landing phase of the flight.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: 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: 744 hours in all; 580 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 692 as pilot in command; 421 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 31, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 46 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,210 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 2:00 am
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:10 am from OSH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.