Cessna 172R accident near Ellsworth, Kansas, February 13, 2014
On February 13, 2014 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 2000 Cessna 172R, registered N816KS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Ellsworth, Kansas (Ellsworth Muni 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2014 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ellsworth, Kansas · Ellsworth Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R R, built 2000 · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N816KS · registry record · serial 17280911
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was on his first solo cross country flight. He reported that while landing, the airplane drifted to the left on the narrow (50 foot wide) runway. He attempted to perform a go-around, but the airplane touched down. The airplane then went to the left side of the runway where it struck plowed snow banks that were about two feet high. After striking the snow bank, the airplane nosed over.
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 defining event
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 › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 39 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1.5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kansas State University
The flight
- Departed from: SLN Salina KS
- Destination: 9K7 Ellsworth KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,327 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SLN, 27 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.