Cessna 172 accident near Larimore, North Dakota, April 5, 2014
On April 5, 2014 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2009 Cessna 172, registered N510ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Larimore, North Dakota (Larimore Municipal 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
Failure of the pilot to attain and maintain sufficient control inputs to compensate for the crosswind. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to adequately monitor the pilot and the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2014 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Larimore, North Dakota · Larimore Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2009 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N510ND · registry record · serial 172S10952
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The wind was from the southwest at 6 to 10 knots when the pilot began a soft-field takeoff on runway 12. The airplane lifted off the ground and drifted rapidly towards the left side of the runway. Because of the nose high attitude, the instructor was unaware how close the airplane was to the runway edge. The pilot attempted to correct, but the left wheel contacted the snow bank unevenly and 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 in flight during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 366 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 62 as pilot in command; 24 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 5, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 94 hours in all; 94 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 23, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,605 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 4, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 1,111 hours total
- Operator: University Of North Dakota Aerospace Foundation
The flight
- Departed from: KGFK Grand Forks ND at 5:30 pm
- Destination: KGFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 6:58 pm from KRDR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 21, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.