Cessna 172P accident near Pontiac, Michigan, June 6, 2013
On June 6, 2013 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N549TT, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland County International 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 student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff and his interference with the flight instructor's ability to provide remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2013 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland County International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N549TT · registry record · serial 17276540
- 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 a soft field takeoff procedure. During the takeoff roll, the airplane began a yaw to the right. The airplane continued to the right after the main landing gear wheels departed the runway, and the flight instructor told the student to correct back to the center of the runway. The airplane then yawed to the left past runway heading and the pitch attitude increased. The flight instructor attempted to take control of the airplane; however, the student did not let go of the controls. The flight instructor tried to reduce the pitch attitude, but the airplane stalled and impacted terrain adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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 in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,638 hours in all; 918 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 3,143 as pilot in command; 1,853 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 16, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 86 hours in all; 86 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,258 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 30, 2013; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 11:15 pm
- Destination: PTK Pontiac MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09L, 5,676 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
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.